Top-up fee rebels 'damaging party'

Labour backbenchers who vote against university top--up fees will damage the Government, the party's general election prospects and universities, Home Secretary David Blunkett has warned.

With the clock ticking to Tuesday's critical Commons vote on variable tuition fees Mr Blunkett, a former Education Secretary, appealed to would-be rebels to think again.

In a statement to PA News, Mr Blunkett said: "I hope those MPs and constituency parties who continue to have doubts will reflect on the damage that would be caused to the Government if we lost the vote on higher education funding.

"Not only would we look divided, but we would be left without a policy to fund the expansion of university places that everyone in the Labour Party wants to see.

"History tells us that those MPs who vote against the Government will not benefit personally in any way at the election.

"Rather, they will damage the re-election chances of Labour MPs across the country, and our ability to deliver radical, reforming policies."

Mr Blunkett's intervention reflected the Government's continuing concern that the rebels might muster sufficient numbers to defeat top-up fees.

Earlier on Saturday, former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham accused the leaders of the top-up fees rebellion of "complete disloyalty" to Mr Blair and the Government.

He suggested that the "bruised egos" of former ministers were a major factor in their opposition.

Mr Cunningham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think it (the vote) is very close ... I think it is very sad that with the most generous package of student funding and support for universities for many decades, that some of my colleagues are still holding out against Charles Clarke (Education Secretary) and the Government when they have met all reasonable concerns put to them."

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