Four MPs in region set for tuition fee rebellion

Nick Clegg: We must defend our universities, and fees are the fairest answer

Three Tories and Liberal Democrat backbencher Greg Mulholland are set to rebel against the plans which could see students forced to pay 9,000 a year for their course.

The Government went on the offensive yesterday in a final attempt to convince critics that the plans are "fair", with Ministers offering fresh concessions and the Prime Minister launching a website to challenge "myths" about the reforms, which have sparked huge protests by students.

The Tories also released figures showing graduates earning the average starting salary of 23,500 in Yorkshire would pay back 225 a year under the new system compared to 775 a year at the moment, because the threshold at which students repay will rise from 15,000 to 21,000.

But amid unease over the scale of the rebellion, Ministers have been summoned back to Westminster as whips moved to ensure they win the crunch vote this afternoon.

The Government lost one vote when Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne was told to stay at climate talks in Mexico rather than return for the vote.

The plans – which would treble the current cap on fees of just over 3,000 – have plunged the Liberal Democrats into crisis after its MPs signed up to an election promise not to increase fees, but a host

of Tory MPs – including former Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, Shipley's Philip Davies and Brigg and Goole's Andrew Percy – are also set to make life uncomfortable for the Government.

Writing in today's Yorkshire Post, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg – the Liberal Democrat leader and Sheffield Hallam MP who has been targeted by angry students – insists the reforms "are the right ones" despite failing to win over some of his own MPs, including Leeds North West's Greg Mulholland.

More than a dozen Lib Dem MPs – including former leaders Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell – are expected to oppose the plans, with more set to abstain, although the Government is still likely to get its plans through.

Mr Mulholland said: "Despite last ditch attempts to make further concessions to Liberal Democrat backbenchers the simple reality is we're still being asked to support a trebling of fees which is not a compromise and is not in the spirit of the Coalition Agreement.

"Even at this late stage the Government needs to accept it hasn't carried public opinion with it and there remains real anxiety about the proposals."

Mr Davies said he would oppose the plans because he believed too many people already went to university, and Mr Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden, has said he would also oppose the proposed increase, although yesterday he was battling the bad weather to make it to Westminster. Mr Percy has also said he would not support the fees rise, and would vote against or abstain.

Yesterday Mr Cameron clashed angrily in the House of Commons with Labour leader Ed Miliband over the plans, which Labour opposes. Mr Miliband claimed the policy was in "chaos" and the Prime Minister was out of touch by lumbering students with more than 30,000 of debt, but Mr Cameron said a graduate tax favoured by the Opposition leader would hit the low paid harder.

Fresh concessions offered by the Government yesterday included support for more part-time students and increasing the threshold at which repayments are made in line with inflation each year.