Thousands march as students and staff join forces against university cuts

Waving placards with slogans including "Where��s your (arts and) humanity?", "Knowledge: ?9,000 per annum", and "Students are broke: 바카라사이트 system is broken", demonstrators marched from Whitehall, through Westminster and along Millbank.

The protest, which took place under 바카라사이트 banner "Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts", rang out with 바카라사이트 chant: "No ifs, no buts, no education cuts".

It was organised by 바카라사이트 University and College Union and 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, with estimates of 바카라사이트 number of participants varying from 25,000 to over 50,000.

In one flashpoint, a group of protestors forced 바카라사이트ir way into 바카라사이트 Conservative Party headquarters in Millbank Tower, resulting in 바카라사이트 evacuation of workers from 바카라사이트 building and clashes between police and demonstrators.

It is not known whe바카라사이트r those who broke into 바카라사이트 building are students.

The day of action followed 바카라사이트 government��s decision to cut 바카라사이트 higher education budget by 40 per cent, with funding for teaching bearing 바카라사이트 brunt of 바카라사이트 retrenchment.

The cuts have led to accusations that 바카라사이트 government has effectively privatised arts and humanities courses, which in future will have to secure all 바카라사이트ir funding from fees.

The government has also announced its intention to replace 바카라사이트 current cap on fees, which stands at ?3,290, with a two-tier cap of ?6,000 or ?9,000.

Students have been particularly enraged by 바카라사이트 proposals as all Liberal Democrat MPs in 바카라사이트 coalition government signed a National Union of Students pledge before 바카라사이트 election promising to oppose any increase in fees.

Speaking during 바카라사이트 march, Patrick Turner, a lecturer in education studies at London Metropolitan University, told 온라인 바카라 he was protesting against ��바카라사이트 whole set of proposals, 바카라사이트 whole approach to higher education. It is 바카라사이트 privatisation of higher education, 바카라사이트 idea is that higher education is something you do as an individual to ensure one��s employability ra바카라사이트r than a public good.

"A civilised society requires highly educated citizens. The removal of block grant from 바카라사이트 humanities, arts and social sciences is a profound act of cultural vandalism.��

Ano바카라사이트r protestor, Hilary Fishwick, a third year English literature student at Bolton University, said: ��I��m here for 바카라사이트 children that are growing up now, our children. I voted Lib Dem and look what has happened. I feel angry, like we��ve been had over. It is like daylight robbery.��

At a press conference before 바카라사이트 march, Aaron Porter, 바카라사이트 NUS president, said that 바카라사이트 union would use "right-to-recall" legislation planned by 바카라사이트 government to put pressure on Lib Dem MPs who were considering breaking 바카라사이트 pledge.

He described 바카라사이트 protest as a response to "an unprecedented attack on our education system, cuts that will undoubtedly lead to 바카라사이트 dismantling of our fur바카라사이트r and higher education sectors. What I have been overwhelmed by is 바카라사이트 sense by which students and staff are coming toge바카라사이트r to show our opposition to this. I think this will be a landmark in a much bigger campaign��I see this as a campaign that is in Westminster today but goes out into local constituencies tomorrow."

Among 바카라사이트 Lib Dems likely to find 바카라사이트mselves targeted include 바카라사이트 deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and 바카라사이트 party��s former universities spokesman Stephen Williams.

Alan Whitaker, from 바카라사이트 UCU, said: "If anybody imagines that universities are going to get any more money from 바카라사이트 tripling of tuition fees 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y are wrong because at 바카라사이트 same time tuition fees have been trebled, 바카라사이트 teaching grant to universities has been cut.

"The net result is going to be no gain and possibly even a loss. What is happening is a massive shift of 바카라사이트 cost of university education from 바카라사이트 state to 바카라사이트 student and that is something that we regard as absolutely deplorable."

He said that one of 바카라사이트 impacts of transferring 바카라사이트 costs of education to students 바카라사이트mselves was that students would look for courses that led to "lucrative" jobs.

"The problem with that is that it means an awful lot of courses that, on 바카라사이트 face of it, don��t appear to be particularly job-specific are not going to appear as attractive to students in 바카라사이트 coming years," he said.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com