Nick Clegg came under renewed pressure over his tuition fees u-turn at Prime Minister's Questions today as 50,000 students marched on parliament in the biggest protest against the government since it came to power. However, violent scenes at Millbank Tower, home of the Conservative party, cast a pall over the demonstration.
Nick Clegg came under renewed pressure over his tuition fees u-turn at Prime Minister’s Questions today as 50,000 students marched on parliament in the biggest protest against the government since it came to power. However, violent scenes at Millbank Tower, home of the Conservative party, cast a pall over the demonstration.
National Union of Students president Aaron Porter “absolutely condemned” the violence, telling BBC News it was “not part of our plan” and the “actions of others who have come on to our march”, adding: “A minority have sought to undermine us.”
Porter also tweeted:
“Proud of the 50,000 students who have come to protest peacefully. Shame on those who are here to cause trouble.”
In addition, there was a sit down and occupation on the streets surrounding parliament; again, as with the violence at Millbank, nothing to do with the NUS – as seen in a video from Socialist Worker which clearly shows an NUS steward urging students to stand up.
Earlier, Mr Clegg was asked 12 times about fees at PMQs, failing to answer questions about the cuts to university teaching grants, described by Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman as “staggering”. She accused the deputy prime minister of “pulling the plug on public funding and putting the cost on students”.
Last week, Left Foot Forward reported on the likely abolition of teaching grants to 24 UK universities, including the LSE and SOAS, following universities minister David Willetts’s admission that state funding funding of arts, humanities and social sciences degrees would be scrapped.
This morning, the University and College Union revealed the cost of studying for a degree would double by 2012, while a survey of student teachers by the National Union of Teachers has shown that four-fifths found it difficult to make ends meet as a student – with 41 per cent finding it “very difficult”. Only 2.6 per cent of those polled support the plans to cut university teaching budgets.
NUT general secretary Christine Blower said:
“No amount of window dressing can take away from the fact that the coalition Government’s proposals for raising tuition fees will result in generations of young people being denied access to a university education on the grounds that they, or their families cannot countenance the debts with which they will be saddled.
“If higher education becomes the preserve of the wealthy it will be to the detriment of society. Ministers need to think again if we are to avoid shortfalls in recruitment to teacher training in the future.”
Update 4:15
To add to the visage of a man under siege, Nick Clegg announced he was pulling out of his visit to Oxford University next week, following in the footsteps of Vince Cable, who infamously cancelled his planned visit to Oxford last month, citing “police advice” – a claim disputed by the police. The Liberal Democrat leader said he had pulled our “due to an unfortunate diary clash”.
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32 Responses to “Clegg under fire over fees as violence mars student protest”
Little Richardjohn
This is a moral argument. And in spite of a few broken windows yesterday, the government does not hold the high ground. And many will be encouraged by yesterday’s scenes. So there will be more demonstrations of anger, and more violence. And while the students alone are no Chartists or Suffragettes, together with the many other blameless victims of free-market madness they constitute a coherent single case against the atomisation of society and community, and for progressive change. And so the Chartist position is a perfectly valid one to adopt, as it is for all opposition to the excesses or idiocies of government.
‘By moral force if we may. By physical force if we must.’
The calls for clampdowns will be counter-productive. The more they crack down, the more violence there will be. If the Condems wanted nice protest, they should have made nice cuts. In other words, they deserve everything they get because they are the cause of it.
Chris
@mousey the tory press officer
“Public forum. People watching.”
Yes, I am watching and checking you every word to make sure you aren’t just copy and pasting directly from tory party press releases – paid trolls should at least have to do some work for Cashcroft’s money.
“If you argue that the march you mention caused Otis Ferry to break the law then those idiots yesterday rioted because Labour lied about tuition fees.
That is the most stupid argument you have used on this blog – grow up.”
Your rebuttal doesn’t even make sense, have they increased your sedatives again?
“Stop telling lies and smearing people in public forums. Shamik or Will should have stopped your abusive behaviour by now.”
Where am I lying? I caught you copy and pasting an entire paragraph from a tory party press release. Taken with your zero knowledge of key libdem policies, which you could have looked up on the net in 5 seconds, would lead any reasonable person to believe your not what you claim to be.
I also find it laughable that your the one telling anybody to stop smearing other commentators. You regularly smear and insult anybody who writes an article or comments on one that doesn’t conform to your right wing narrative of Labour’s time in power. You’ve even crow barred in a smear/insult at Joss Garman, what is your obsession with Joss?
“The Primrose Hill millionaire Ed Miliband gets it – why don’t you?”
Ed isn’t a millionaire. Why don’t you get that?
Another pointless, nasty tirade on your part mousey. Is your tactic to post such endless rubbish, fact checked against tory press releases, that everybody else gives up and goes elsewhere?
Anon E Mouse
Chris – Public forum. People watching. You telling lies and smearing people. Sound familiar?
Irrespective of where information is taken from it is still EVIDENCE – stop smearing the messenger. The message is true – you’re lying by stating otherwise.
Answer the question please. Which you can’t because what I say is true or I wouldn’t say it. All you’ve done is the usual Labour smear stuff, which incidentally the editors of this fine blog said they wouldn’t allow and only you do it.
I don’t have any obsession with Joss Garman I just happen to think that when someone tries to justify “Friends Of The Earth” colluding with a pack of lies in a letter that directly leads to innocent people being left to starve to death then it’s wrong.
I do realise that your precious Labour Party produced documents that were also a pack of lies about Iraq which resulted in the deaths of thousands of innocents as well, so obviously you don’t have a problem with that but I do.
Ed Miliband is a millionaire from the share of his fathers house and by then “avoiding” paying Inheritance Tax. Combine this with his “questionable” property renting and dealing with his brother and the assets he inherited from his father sent his personal wealth skyward. Why do you not know this stuff? Why do you think he isn’t married?
That’s why he’s the Primrose Hill, never done a days work in his life, millionaire. To suggest otherwise is not true and is just a pack of lies.
Why are you bothered anyway Chris? Isn’t Labour the party of big business that is “comfortable with people getting filthy rich”?
Or let me guess you don’t know where that quote comes from now.
In conclusion stop telling lies and smearing in public forums. You’re the only one who does it on this blog – head over to Labourlist for your groupthink fix of rabid labour ideas…
Chris
@mousey the tory press officer
“Answer the question please.”
What question?
“Which you can’t because what I say is true or I wouldn’t say it.”
LOL, your deluded if you think the rubbish you spout isn’t a pack of lies.
“I don’t have any obsession with Joss Garman I just happen to think that when someone tries to justify “Friends Of The Earth” colluding with a pack of lies in a letter that directly leads to innocent people being left to starve to death then it’s wrong.”
Ah, huge smear there mousey and one that has been rebutted.
“Ed Miliband is a millionaire from the share of his fathers house and by then “avoiding” paying Inheritance Tax.”
Bollocks, there was no inheritance on his part as his mum is still alive.
“Combine this with his “questionable” property renting”
WTF?
” and dealing with his brother and the assets he inherited from his father sent his personal wealth skyward.”
David bought Ed’s share of the house, Ed’s paid CGT on this.
“Why do you not know this stuff?”
I do know it and know the angle you put on it is untrue.
“Why do you think he isn’t married?”
LOL, you stupid little moron. Ed’s wife is far wealthy than Ed, she’s a top lawyer ffs.
“That’s why he’s the Primrose Hill, never done a days work in his life, millionaire.”
Yawn.
“Why are you bothered anyway Chris?”
I’m not bothered.
“Or let me guess you don’t know where that quote comes from now.”
LOL, imitation is flattering mousey but your not going to catch me out like I caught you out with Huhne’s quote on nuclear power – have you actually visited the libdem website yet?
“In conclusion stop telling lies and smearing in public forums.”
Your the one who lies and smears commentators. And your not in a public forum, nobody knows your name.
Very weak reply mousey, Cashcroft isn’t getting his monies worth with you!
Chris
Oh and needless to say none of your comment was actually on topic.