BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable has pulled out of a visit today to Oxford University because of protesting students.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham was due to vist the university to take part in a seminar on ‘lessons in Government’ organised by Brasenose College.

However hundreds of students from the university and Oxford Brookes University were planning to march against the Government’s plan to raise the cap on tuition fees.

A spokesman for Mr Cable said: “(The cancellation) followed advice from Thames Valley Police about threats of a protest and his concern about the level of disruption this could cause to the people of Oxford plus the possible cost of policing.”

Last night, protest spokesman Jason Keen said the demonstration would still go ahead.

He said: “It’s laughable a Government minister doesn’t have the courage to face the electorate.”

A review by Lord Browne recommended removing the current £3,290 cap on university tuition fees.

Yet Dr Cable has said there was “no prospect” of universities being allowed to set unlimited fees.

  • Oxford University Vice-chancellor Prof Andrew Hamilton says if approved, the plans would do little to narrow the shortfall between how much it costs the institution to teach a student and the funding it receives.