Newman, the former star of BBC TV's Newman and Baddiel, and Thomas handed in the letter at Number 10 Downing Street, accompanied by MPs Tony Benn and Ken Livingstone.

Protesters make themselves heard outside Parliament

The letter was signed by thousands of protesters, including the lead singers of Primal Scream and Cornershop, Bobby Gillespie and Tjinder Singh.

It was organised as part of a protest by campaigners who oppose government proposals outlined in the Bill.

Austin sums up the protesters point

The third reading of the Bill takes place in the Commons on Monday evening and Tuesday and is the last time MPs will have a chance to vote on the Bill before it returns to the House of Lords.

The most contentious proposals are the introduction of £1,000-a-year tuition fees and the replacement of maintenance grants with loans.

Protesters' spirit was not dampened by the rain outside Parliament where they gathered in the afternoon to voice their concerns to MPs.

Around 100 campaigners chanted and waved placards and banners before entering Parliament to lobby MPs.

Lois Austin, national co-ordinator of the Save Free Education campaign said the size of the demonstration was diminished because "the government has been quite sneaky. They've scheduled this debate just when there are lots of exams, and when students can't get away to protest."

Austin: "Not the end of the campaign"

Mr Livingstone said: "I had free education and I think this Bill stinks.

"I would like to tell Tony Blair to back off this and remember the benefits he had from free education."

"It's almost as if the generation of MPs sitting on the Labour benches, who have directly benefited from free Higher Education, have decided to pull the ladder up behind them."