Students in fees sit-in protest

Students at Oxford University are holding an overnight sit-in protest

Support is gathering for a group of Oxford University students staging a silent sit-in protest against the government's plan to introduce variable tuition fees.

Up to 90 students, carrying "no fees" banners, have now occupied the university's Examinations School and plan to stay overnight.

They say variable fees will make it harder for poorer students to attend expensive institutions like Oxford, which would in turn become elitist for the rich.

The university confirmed the protest began at about 1600 GMT.

One of the protesters, 23-year-old Andrew Copson, a final-year history undergraduate, says he faces debts of £20,000 when he leaves in the summer.

'Damage Oxford's reputation'

He told BBC News Online: "Being here is a show of our feeling that the government should reconsider its plans to inflict more debt on students.

"MPs should vote against the government tomorrow.

"We are also here because our university is in favour of these fees and we believe that's short-sighted and can only damage the reputation of Oxford.

"We think the university is blind to the fact that variable fees will lead to the university becoming elitist on ability to pay rather than on a person's ability to learn."

The government's plans for the future of higher education in England involve, for full-time undergraduates, variable fees of up to £3,000 a year.

Groups representing universities have urged MPs to support the Higher Education Bill in Tuesday's Commons vote.