NI MPs will vote against Blair's top-up fees

The SDLP's three Westminster MPs will be among a number of NI MPs who look set to vote against the government's controversial tuition top-up fee proposals.

The three, John Hume, Seamus Mallon, and Eddie McGrady, said that they had informed the government that the proposals are "contrary to equality and social justice". Mr Hume pledged that the SDLP would "vehemently oppose" the government plans to introduced top-up fees.

Mr Hume said: "Education is the key to building a society where every person can reach their full potential. I am very disappointed that the British government has published this plan which would see students have to pay £3,000 within a couple of years for the right to go to university. I believe that this will clearly be a deterrent to people from poorer backgrounds from applying for the best courses and the best universities.

"It is astonishing that a Labour government is introducing such proposals. Widespread access to education has done more than anything to transform society here in Northern Ireland, and also Great Britain, over the past half century."

Mr Hume questioned how many MPs would be in Westminster if it had not been for the reforms. He said: "I for one, as the child of an unemployed father, would never have had the opportunities I have had but for education."

Mr McGrady said the "single best hope for securing a prosperous future for the coming generation was through major investment in education and research to build a knowledge-based economy".

Former Northern Ireland Assembly Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon said that under devolution the priority had been to remove barriers to education. He said that grant aid had been reintroduced for students from low income backgrounds and that the numbers liable for tuition fees had been halved.

Mr Hume said that the SDLP would work to restore devolved government to ensure that "the progress delivered under devolution is not destroyed by direct rule".

The DUP with six MPs are known to favour tax credits for further education and are considered unlikely to support the goverment, while the UUP, though sympathetic to the government policy, have not guaranteed that all five MPs will be present for this evening's vote.

Sinn Fein's four MPs are opposed to the tuition fee proposals and back student grants, but do not sit in the Westminster parliament.

(SP)