2:40am UK, Tuesday December 14, 2010
The tuition fees row moves to the House of Lords later when peers debate the Government's proposal to triple the cost of going to university.
Police are braced for more protests after last week's Commons vote
Labour has tabled a "fatal amendment" to the legislation which it hopes will kill off the hike.
Opposition leader in the Lords Baroness Royall said: "Labour opposed the Government's policy in the Commons last week, and Labour will oppose the Government's policy in the Lords this week.
"Regrettably, we were not successful in the Commons last week in preventing the Government pressing ahead with its proposals for draconian cuts in the funding of higher education and a consequent massive rise in student's tuition fees.
"We will have a tough fight in the Lords to prevent the Government from going ahead with its plans - but we will fight to the last to do so."
If Labour is successful, Nick Clegg would face another showdown in the Commons.
The Commons Vote In Detail
* Six Conservative MPs rebelled and voted 'no'
* 21 Liberal Democrats voted against
* 8 Lib Dem MPs abstained
* 28 Lib Dems voted for the policy
* Labour MPs voted against
However, Sky News' chief political correspondent Jon Craig said: "The Government is expected to win the vote by a bigger majority than the 21 in the Commons last week.
"This is largely because 25% of peers are cross-benchers and many of these come from an academic background, including a number of former university vice chancellors, who are solidly in favour of tuition fees.
"Another factor is that the Lib Dems in the Lords are less divided than the party's MPs in the Commons.
"For example, senior Lib Dem peers Lord Ashdown, a former party leader, and Baroness Williams, a former Labour education secretary, are among the strongest supporters of tuition fee increases.
"Another influential Lib Dem peer, former party general secretary Lord Rennard, has declared he has changed his view on the increases and will now support the Government.
"It would be a big shock if the Lords threw out the increase."
No comments:
Post a Comment