TOP-UP FEES VOTED THROUGH IN TEETH OF LIB DEM OPPOSITION

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 1st Apr 2004

The House of Commons voted for university top-up fees last night, in the teeth of strong opposition from the Liberal Democrats.

David Rendel MP kept his long-standing pledge to local people by voting to scrap all tuition fees - a vote that was lost by 227 to 338. The 3 Labour MPs in Berkshire - Martin Salter, Jane Griffiths and Fiona McTaggart - voted for higher fees.

Mr Salter voted "yes" despite his statement in the House of Commons on 8 January that the Secretary of State "is asking an awful lot in asking us to play fast and loose with our own manifesto, on which he, I and every other Labour MP was elected".

Commenting, Mr Rendel - who is also the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Higher Education - said:

"This is a deeply disappointing result. Labour MPs have voted through a poll tax on learning - a measure that even Margaret Thatcher could not stomach.

It is also disappointing that Berkshire's three Labour MPs voted for £3000 fees. They have broken a manifesto pledge and further damaged public confidence in politics.

"I will continue to fight university tuition fees at every opportunity."

ENDS