Leading rebel U-turns on tuition fee proposals

There was relief today for embattled Prime Minister, Tony Blair, as one of the key figures leading a backbench rebellion against the bill on variable tuition fees switch sides – and pledged to back the government in tonight's vote.

Nick Brown, a former agriculture minister and a longstanding ally of Chancellor Gordon Brown, announced this morning that he had been persuaded to reconsider his position after winning further concessions from Downing Street.

Mr Browne said that he changed his mind after being reassured that there would be a review of the impact of the fees on middle-income households.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke has previously offered a number of concessions to mollify the rebels – including a commitment that the ceiling on fees could not be raise before 2010, and special considerations for students who come from poorer households.

Nick Brown and Barbara Roche, both former government whips, had been acknowledged leaders of rebel backbench moves to ambush the government. At one point, the rebellion numbered 159 MPs – members who signed a Commons motion attacking the proposals.

However, the capture of Nick Brown should persuade many more MPs to take his lead and so potentially rob the opposition of a morale-boosting victory.

The vote will be too close to call, with this morning's newspapers suggesting that the government is lacking the 10 to 20 votes necessary to carry the motion. Even John Prescott, the deputy prime minister, told the BBC this morning that the government faced defeat on the issue.

But with its 161 majority, defeat is not something with which the government is familiar. The margin could be so fine as to elevate independent, Scottish nationalist and Northern Irish MPs to a decisive role.

The debate into variable 'top-up' fees, which could see universities charge students up to £3,000 a year, began at lunchtime today. The results of the vote should be known shortly after 7pm.

(gmcg)