Education: Miliband 'tempted' to join protests

Mr Miliband launched his strongest attack so far on the Government's "wrong" and "high-handed" decision to treble tuition fees and slash higher education funding which brought tens of thousands of students and schoolchildren onto the streets this week for a second mass protest.

Students at Leeds University are still demonstrating in a campus building they have been occupying since Wednesday when students from universities, colleges and schools staged a mass walk-out from their lessons and lectures.

The group wants university vice chancellor Prof Michael Arthur to refuse to implement spending cuts or increase fees.

While protests in Yorkshire have largely passed off peacefully, in London there were outbreaks of violence on Wednesday after police used controversial "kettling" tactics to keep thousands of young people trapped for hours without water or access to toilets.

Mr Miliband said he was strongly against any form of violent protest but described the anger against the Government as "justified".

The Doncaster North MP said: "It is an extraordinary indication of the way this Government is going about its business that you already have such anger about the decision on tuition fees.

"It is an indication both of the fact the decision is wrong, but also of the high-handed nature of this Government's decision-making.

Asked about the most recent protests, he said: "What I am not in favour of is, obviously, violent demonstrations. I applaud young people who peacefully demonstrate – I was tempted to go out and talk to them.

Asked why he had not, he explained: "I think I was doing something else at the time, actually."

He added: "It is an indication of what is happening to this country, because I think people have a sense of anger and a lot of the anger is quite justified."

Mr Miliband also reiterated his commitment to a graduate tax as a "fairer way" to fund higher education than massive fee rises.

At Leeds University, where protests are continuing as the occupation of a campus building enters its fourth day, a public meeting has been called by protesters for 2pm this afternoon.

A statement issued by the 100 occupiers yesterday said they were protesting against "crippling tuition fee rises, education cuts, the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), and the all out assault on the living standards of ordinary people and the welfare state."

The group's spokesman Ian Pattison said: "There is a positive mood in the occupation that has been boosted by the news the EMA is going to be saved in Wales. This has given us the confidence that if we fight, we can win.

"There is a real cross-section of people taking part in this protest. Some people taking part in this are protesting for the first time. What unites us is our opposition to the cuts to our education system."

Teachers and lecturers have been involved in many of the demonstrations nationwide, and a Leeds University spokesman admitted "many members of staff share concerns about Government cuts to higher education".

But he added: "The occupation of the lecture theatre is disrupting the work of many students and staff, and we are disappointed lectures are having to be cancelled.

"The vice chancellor has already made clear his personal concerns about reductions to funding for higher education. The magnitude of these cuts means the only realistic way we can deliver the education our students deserve is through an increase in fees."