This is largely backed by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals. The CVCP threatened to introduce "top-up" fees in a misguided publicity stunt to scare the Government into reversing cuts. However, some institutions took to the idea. Although attempts to introduce them this year were narrowly defeated, institutions will try again next. These plans would escalate a students' debt on graduation to a potential &pound20,000. This would deter thousands of people from entering higher education.

Repeated calls for the NUS to act have come to nothing. Many students - seeing the system that enabled them to go to university being dismantled - are starting to fight back independently. On 20th November students from across the country joined a protest march in London against plans for tuition and "top-up" fees, organised by the Campaign for Free Education. Demonstrators called for a renewed commitment to free education from the National Union of Students and the Labour Party. On route marchers held a "spontaneous" sit-down on Waterloo Bridge.

The demo wasn't huge. NUS had refused to lend their support and many students' unions had stayed away. However a wide range of institutions was represented from Glasgow (Caledonian University) to London (Guildhall). There were even delegations from the more "conservative" University of London colleges.

Perhaps most important was that there were people there who, at last year's round of conferences, had voted against free education. Events at the London School of Economics and Huddersfield - which came closest to introducing "top-up" fees this year - have started to persuade some that once you start the ball rolling it will prove hard to stop.

At the rally in Kennington Park Tony Benn MP called on students to unite with other unions in education to fight cuts and fee proposals. Only the day before, the national higher education shut-down showed the effectiveness of unified action. Funding cuts and changes in Party policy have been possible because politicians believe only those involved in higher education are concerned, and working people do not want to pay for it. Too many times I have been told of the "poor bus driver" paying for my education. I don't want the "poor bus driver" to pay disproportionately for my education or for the education of his or her own children.

The timing of the student campaign against fees coincides with the university unions' fight against low pay and cuts. This gives us an excellent opportunity to unite these common struggles.