Lecturers prepare for protests over cuts

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Bradford College have already voted for strike action over plans which they claim could lead to 18 lecturers being made redundant.

Today they are set to hold a protest between noon and 1pm outside Bradford College's main Westbrook Building.

The event is being held to tie in the with the UCU's national day of action which sees lecturers at 11 further education colleges and three universities in the South of England take part in a strike, march and rally.

They are protesting about higher education cuts nearing 1bn, on top of 340m in savings which the UCU claims will hit further education budgets.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt, left, said: "People are losing their jobs and access to education is disappearing.

"We believe in the power of education to make a real difference to people's lives and do not think we should be slashing funding at a time when more people than ever need access to education."