Papers pull no punches for Blair

As Tony Blair steels himself for a crucial Commons vote on top-up fees and the Hutton Inquiry report, the UK's newspapers pull no punches in their analysis of the difficulties he faces.

Under the headline "High noon for Blair", the Daily Telegraph says defeat over top-up fees would be devastating for the prime minister.

It says he spent part of Monday meeting rebels in an "increasingly desperate" attempt to persuade them to back him.

The paper reports that Downing Street admits Tuesday evening's vote is "too close to call", despite Labour's 161-seat majority.

On its front page the Independent carries pictures of 78 Labour MPs it considers "committed rebels".

The vote on top-up fees marks the start of a "make-or-break" 24 hours for the prime minister, the newspaper declares, with defeat representing a "possibly terminal blow" to his authority.

Cabinet ministers including Gordon Brown, John Prescott and Jack Straw have been drafted in to argue Mr Blair's case that the charges offer the best deal for students and universities.

But, the Independent goes on, the government would have lost by 20 votes if the ballot had been held on Monday.

'Extraordinary tension'

The Guardian also reports on the involvement of Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

It says he intervened on the prime minister's side in a bid to save him from "humiliating defeat".

And it predicts the final outcome hangs on an intensive round of meetings between Mr Blair and waverers before the ballot.

The Times says the government's hopes rose and then fell as Mr Prescott brought together rebel leaders George Mudie and Nick Brown for talks, which ended unsuccessfully.

It says rebels' demands for variable fees to be shelved for three years were denied in an atmosphere of "extraordinary tension".

'Only solution'

In its editorial, the Daily Mirror says the rebels should back Mr Blair.

It argues his proposals "are not just the best on offer but the only solution".

Voting against the government will mean voting against the chances of working class children going to university, it claims.

The Sun agrees that rebels are in the wrong.

The government needs to win the tuition fees vote if it is to have any chance of sorting out the health service or the trains, it claims.

"Labour MPs who vote against Blair are voting against the country's interests," the paper adds.

'Frantic and undignified'

The Daily Express, however, is firmly opposed to what it sees as Mr Blair's "dirty tricks".

The newspaper claims the prime minister has tried to win support by "frantic and undignified arm-twisting".

Top-up fees, its says, are unacceptable, with rebel MPs fighting "honourably" to stop the government breaking its manifesto pledge not to introduce them.

In its editorial the Daily Mail says the fees would do little to help universities even if they are approved.

It calls for a wide review, including a look at whether to privatise some colleges, but predicts this will be ignored by ministers who will "continue to fiddle with the finances while the university system burns".