University chiefs challenge top-up fee plans

University vice-chancellors today urged the Government to make radical reforms to topup fee plans to buy off a massive revolt by Labour MPs.

They want ministers to drop their proposals to exempt students from the poorest backgrounds from the first £1,125 of their tuition fees.

Instead, they want the Governmentto use the money saved to fund much bigger student maintenance grants for the poorest students, up to £3,000 a year compared with the £1,000 currently proposed.

The vice-chancellors argue that this would offer those students financial help when they need it most, while struggling to survive at university.

One vice-chancellor said: "We believe maintenance grants are a much better way of helping financially needy students than offering to waive fees which they won't have to pay while they are at university. Ministers have indicated they are willing to listen to this argument."

It emerged that former education secretary Estelle Morris could quit the Government for the second time.

Leading rebels believe Ms Morris, now arts minister, will make herself the highest-profile casualty of the row which is threatening Tony Blair with his first Commons defeat since coming to power.

More than 150 Labour MPs have signed a critical Commons motion. Education Secretary Charles Clarke and Higher Education Minister Alan Johnson were today beginning a series of six seminars designed to win them over.