Reino Unido: Cambridge Student Protest
Students from universities across East Anglia are are descending on Cambridge to protest against a rise in university tuition fees.

They're asking local politicians to sign a pledge promising to vote against a rise in the fees.

The rally, called the "Town Takeover" has been organised by the National Union of Students and students' unions from Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University.

According to the NUS, the average student currently pays £3,225 a year in fees, and graduates leave with more than £20,000 worth of debt.

This figure would rise to around £7,000 a year and more than £32,000 overall if the cap on fees was raised.

The two main political parties have refused to declare their position on top up fees, and have instead set up a review of higher education funding to report after the general election.

Tom Chigbo, president of Cambridge University Students' Union, said: "It's time for politicians to stop ducking the issue and come clean on fees.

Cambridge students will be standing shoulder to shoulder with local families to expose the unfairness of the current system."

Matt East, president of Anglia Ruskin Students' Union, added: "If the cap on top up fees were lifted, many people would be priced out of university.

This would make the inequality that already exists in the system even worse."

Students will be at Parkers Piece in Cambridge at 12:30pm today (Thursday), before moving on to the Market Square at 2pm.

Students and the public then invited to question local politicians at a debate at the Cambridge Law Faculty at 7pm.

Heart, 26/11/09

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