(posted 7806 days ago)South London Press
NewsThousands take part in top-up fees march
Dec 5 2002Thousands of students have taken part in a London march to protest at the introduction of university tuition top-up fees.
Metropolitan Police estimate 5,000 people took part in the demonstration from University College London to Kennington Park.
But Daniel Harkin, co-chairman of the Oxford University Anti Top-up Fees group, claims more than 10,000 took part.
He said: "There's definitely more than last year and 10,000 turned up then," referring to the Grants Not Fees march past Downing Street last year.
Sean Sullivan, the Oxford Union's vice-president of finance, said: "Our position is clear: we want grants not fees and we are of course opposed to top-up fees.
"It is up to the Government to find the money for this. It is not our position to tell it how but it must come from non-welfare spending budgets.
"Raising tax to 50% for people earning over £100,000 a year would be one way of doing this."
Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan showed their support for demonstrators by joining them as they marched. The students passed the studios where the Channel 4 presenters film their show and spotted Madeley at a window.
The group then began chanting: "Who do we want? Judy. When do we want her? Now."
The pair decided to take a break from their programme rehearsals to talk to the students who had gathered outside the building in Kennington, south London.