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Furious protest over rising student fees
FURIOUS Sheffield students voiced their anger against government plans to increase tuition fees to as much as £9,000 per year with a march through the city and a demonstration at the Town Hall.
Around 50 students from both the city's universities took part in the protest, waving placards with a message to Lib Dem Sheffield Hallam MP and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg demanding: "Keep your promise."
One placard had the slogan "one shouldn't be posh to be privileged" - highlighting the fear that rising fees will deter poorer teenagers from higher education.
The students' protest took place before a full council meeting at which all parties passed a motion against fees which criticised the old Labour and current coalition governments over the issue. Some of the demonstrators went inside to address councillors before the debate.
Among the crowd was Tom Hastings, finance officer at Sheffield University Students' Union. The 22-year-old English and History graduate said: "I'm the first in my family to go to university and I went to a school that didn't send many students to higher education.
"University shouldn't have a price tag. Given that Liberal Democrats including Nick Clegg signed a pledge to scrap fees, if they don't vote against the Government plans, I don't think they will have any credibility left."
Laura Wilcox, democracy and communications officer at Hallam students' union, who studied business and marketing, added: "The policy will ruin the agenda of widening participation in higher education and will cause a rich-poor divide. A graduate tax would be a fairer way to fund higher education."
The composition motion passed at the full council meeting included sentences proposed by Labour - accusing Lib Dems in the coalition government of a "cynical and unprincipled u-turn" that would create an "unfair market" hitting poorer students - and a Lib Dems' statement calling for fees to be scrapped and also criticising Sheffield MP David Blunkett for introducing them.
Lib Dem MPs including Mr Clegg are being allowed to abstain from the House of Commons vote on fee rises as part of their coalition agreement.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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