Christians students say higher university fees will promote privilege over fairness

The Student Christian Movement (SCM) has hit out at the decision of MPs to raise the cap on university tuition fees.

The Coalition won the vote by a narrow majority this evening, with 323 MPs in favour and 302 against.

It means that from 2012, universities in England will be able to charge students £6,000 a year and up to £9,000 in “exceptional circumstances”.

SCM said that raising university fees by thousands of pounds would deter students from poorer backgrounds.

When it comes to choosing their degrees, the organisation warned that students would be encouraged to put considerations about securing a well paid job before bettering society.

SCM member and student at the University of Birmingham, Charlotte Thompson, said: “The Government should be breaking down barriers to education, not putting up new ones.

“Higher fees and cuts to the education maintenance allowance will deter students from poorer backgrounds from applying to university, and promote privilege over fairness.

“Faced with the prospect of thousands of pounds of debt, graduates will be forced to look for well paid jobs, rather than using their education and skills to help others.”

The SCM said the Government should impose tight restrictions on universities wanting to charge higher fees and force those that do to introduce measures that enable people from different backgrounds to attend.

Protests in central London before and after the vote were marred by violence, which included an attack on the car taking the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to the Royal Variety Performance in central London. They were unharmed in the attack.

Two Liberal Democrat MPs, Mike Crockart and Jenny Willow, and Tory MP Lee Scott, quit over the vote.