Clarke 'confident' on top-up fees

Clarke: Interviewed on Newsbeat

Education Secretary Charles Clarke says he feels "very confident" about the outcome of next week's crucial vote on university top-up fees.

But while he admitted the result could be "very tight indeed", he warned opponents of the plans that the measures will "not be withdrawn".

In an interview for Radio 1's Newsbeat, Mr Clarke said ministers had tried to develop a fairer system of support.

More than 100 Labour MPs claim they are still planning to oppose the measures.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has spent the last week trying to cajole doubters into supporting the controversial plans.

The Higher Education Bill would allow universities to charge up to £3,000 in fees, payable once graduates earn £15,000.

I feel very confident ... but the vote will still be very tight indeed Charles Clarke

The vote on 27 January heralds the start of what is being seen as one of the toughest weeks of Mr Blair's premiership.

Just a day after what could be a knife-edge division, the Hutton report into the circumstances of the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly will be published.

Mr Clarke said he felt positive about the key vote. "I feel very confident... but the vote will still be very tight indeed," he told Newsbeat in the interview to be broadcast at 1745 GMT.

"There are a lot of decisions being taken by my colleagues [in their constituencies] over the weekend."

'Dog's breakfast'

But the education secretary said there was no chance of pulling the bill if the outcome looked bad.

"The vote will definitely happen - the bill will not be withdrawn. The bill will be voted upon next Tuesday."

He felt the government had "made a pretty good stab" at producing a system that would provide more funds for universities while "establishing fairer student support", he said.

At prime minister's question time on Wednesday, Tory leader Michael Howard denounced the policy as "a complete dog's breakfast".

He accused the prime minister of trying to bully his MPs into breaking a manifesto promise not to bring in the fees.

High standards

But commenting on Tory opposition to the plans and the Tories' alternative, Mr Clarke said: "It says: 'Who cares about students - let's close down the universities'. We simply reject this argument.

"Their view is 'let's go back to the 1960s... and ordinary people can't get into university'. It's certainly not a point of view that will buy them electoral support."

Tuition fees vote heralds the start of a difficult week for the government

Mr Clarke also brushed aside criticism of the government plans to get 50% of people under 30 into university.

"I think this 'Mickey mouse degree' stuff is wrong. I think courses are a high standard - they run right across the whole country.

"It's a quality system that the rest of the world looks at and says how can we achieve it."

On Wednesday, rebels who had met privately at lunchtime claimed more than 100 backbenchers were determined to oppose the government.

Ian Gibson, a leading Labour MP opposed to the fees, said while there were a few people peeling away from the rebellion, these had been expected.

He insisted the debate was "not about bringing down the leadership" but about getting higher education policy right.