Brent Central MP is refusing to reveal if she will vote for or against tuition fee hikes

ANGRY students concerned about plans to hike tuition fees have held a protest outside a MPs office this morning – for the second time in four days.

Members of University of Westminster Students’ Union (UWSU) staged their fears over the proposals by lobbying Sarah Teather’s office on Willesden High Road today, following a similar protest on Saturday.

The Lib-Dem MP for Brent Central has refused to reveal if she will vote for or against the proposals, which will see fees rocket to up to �9,000 for English students, despite campaigning for their abolition in the run up to the General Election in May.

In addition, Ms Teather, who overturned a notional Labour majority of 7,000 to win the hotly contested seat, signed a National Union of Students (NUS) pledge earlier this year vowing to vote against any tuition free increase.

She voted against raising the fees to �3,290 in 2004 and after winning the safe Labour seat of Brent East in 2003, Ms Teather mentioned her distaste for tuition fees during her maiden speech.

Robin Law, President of UWSU said: “Many students voted for Liberal Democrat MPs because of their promise to get rid of tuition fees – but now we find they might back a plan to triple them!

“Students are gravely fearful of the mountain of debt they would be in if they had to pay �9,000 in fees. And lots of students facing that hiked cost are reconsidering whether to go to university because they can’t bear to have such huge debts.”

“Clearly Sarah has a history of opposing fees. We just hope that by protesting today we can persuade her to continue her track record by voting on Thursday against the fee rise.”

The protest held on Saturday saw local residents, students and NUS members voice their anger about the proposals and the Government’s plans to axe the Education Maintenance Award for 16-18 years old.

Full story on the protests will be in the Times on Thursday.