Thousands of students stage protest in London

After the unrest two years ago, students have taken to London’s streets again to protest the rising tuition fees for university and further education.

Organised by the National Union of Students (NUS), there are estimated to be 10,000 students taking part in the march. So far the protest has passed through the city peacefully and demonstrators are now at a rally in Kennington.

The NUS published a survey which coincided with the protest, suggesting the public hasn’t forgiven Lib Dem MPs for the rising cost of education. “Education should open doors, but the government is slamming them shut,” said NUS leader, Liam Burns.

The survey also found that more than three out of five of the 500 parents asked would not vote for an MP who had broke a pre-election pledge to vote against the rise in tuition fees. Half of these parents thought such MPs should resign.

Despite the trebling of tuition fees, protestors are also demonstrating against general education cuts including the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

Burns added that students are “tens of thousands of pounds in debt before they even graduate and they know there’s little prospect of graduate employment”.

Hoping to draw a line under the issue, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg made a public apology to voters for making “a promise we were not absolutely sure we could deliver” at the Lib Dem party’s autumn conference.

Eleanor Mackay