Brown comes to Blair's rescue

Tony Blair was today set to win his crunch vote on university tuition fees as the revolt by Labour backbenchers began to collapse.

Leading rebel Nick Brown - a former chief whip and close ally of Chancellor Gordon Brown - announced he was switching sides and supporting the Government after intensive discussions.

Mr Brown was set to be followed by "significant numbers" of rebels, enough for a win in the 7pm showdown over the Higher Education Bill, according to government sources.

He said he had been won over by new "concessions", including a promise of more money from the Treasury and a longer-term review of the entire issue of allowing universities to charge variable fees of up to £3,000 a year.

It was clear the Chancellor played a key role in moves to win over Nick Brown and other key rebels.

No 10 and sources close to Education Secretary Charles Clarke continued to insist no new concessions had been made. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "There have been no changes to the Bill since last night. There have been no changes to the principles. There is no extra money."

Nick Brown, however, insisted he had been persuaded with promises of fresh cash and an interim review to report as early as next year on the likely effect of fees on students from families with incomes of above £15,000.

In future years, he said, a governmentappointed commission would examine the entire system of university funding, including possible alternatives to top-up fees and the principle of variable charges. He told the Evening Standard: "Essentially the Government made every concession I asked for on marketability short of taking it out of the Bill altogether. Most importantly, there is new money on the table."

His claims were later effectively confirmed by Mr Clarke as he kicked off a six-hour-plus debate in the Commons. The Education Secretary said: "Our decision today in this House will determine the future of our universities and so determine the future ability of this country to prosper in the increasingly competitive global economy."

Mr Brown refused to say how many other Labour rebels would follow him, but several, including Clive Betts, Louise Ellman and Joe Benton were quick to say they would do so. After changing sides, Mr Brown was booed by students lobbying MPs at the Commons. One shouted: "This is a matter of principles."

Mr Prescott, the Chancellor and the Prime Minister had held intensive talks with rebel leaders - coming close to an agreement last night, only for it to fall apart at the last moment. This morning, however, came the breakthrough.

Before that, ministers had feared rebels would muster the 85 Labour votes they needed to scupper the Bill. News of Nick Brown's conversion came hours after Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott warned the Government faced a catastrophic defeat tonight because the numbers were not stacking up.

Mr Prescott told Radio 4's Today programme there was a "straight issue" for Labour MPs: "Do you support-your Labour Government now or don't you?"

University vice- chancellors reacted with dismay to the concessions Mr Brown said he had been offered. Professor Michael Grant, vice-chancellor of University College London, one of the elite Russell Group of institutions, said: "If the Government wins tonight's vote only by making concessions like this, it will be a pyrrhic victory.

"Variability has been the key to this. If the Government had simply wanted to raise the level of fees charged by universities, they could have done that without legislation. As far as we are concerned, variability is key because this is what would allow us a significantly greater measure of independence."