Students Follow

University, school and college students besieged parliament today.

The root of the coalition’s attacks on education is a desire to make workers pay for the bankers’ and bosses’ crisis.

There will be more parliamentary votes over fees and the Education Maintenance Allowance. And, as the protests against the cuts show, other issues will rise to become the focus for the whole movement.

The student protests very nearly defeated the coalition less than six months into its rule. MPs voted by 323 to 302 to allow fees to rise to up to £9,000 a year. A coalition majority of 80 fell to 21.

The student march at the beginning of the London protests against the trebling of student fees on Thursday 9 December

10.10pm Up to 1,000 people are being held on Westminster Bridge in a police kettle. The protesters includes school students, some as young as 15. They are singing songs and chanting, but are being held surrounded by riot police on the middle of the bridge with no indication when they will be allowed to leave.

Manchester University march and occupation Manchester students have now booked seven coaches to the national demonstration in London tomorrow.

Students from occupied Newcastle university, Northumbria university and local sixth forms occupied the main Council Chambers of the Newcastle Civic Centre today.