Deputy PM fears student demos put poorer off university

Nick Clegg has written to the leader of the National Union of Students (NUS) telling him to make sure students understand what they are protesting about.

The deputy prime minister has been heavily criticised over planned fee rises because he's accused of breaking a promise to students ahead of the General Election.

Now as students take to the streets again he's told NUS President Aaron Porter to see the 'true picture' on fees.

Nick Clegg's letter

The deputy prime minister tells the student president in his letter that it's "crucial" students realise no fees are paid upfront, and that repayments only begin once a graduate earns over £21,000 a year.

He says graduates in England on lower incomes would be better off under the planned fees system than they are now.

He also implies in his letter that students' groups could do more to make sure students understand the complexities of fees changes.

"I do not expect to change your position," he says, but he goes on, "the nature of that debate and the language we use, is important if it is not to have consequences that none of us want."

Apparently he is worried the demonstrations could put poorer people off going to university.

NUS response

The NUS president Aaron Porter says it's "astonishing" of Nick Clegg to claim protesters don't understand the government's proposals.

He's written back to the deputy prime minister, calling the plans "problematic, misleading or damaging".

The reason for the dispute is that universities need more money to deal with rising numbers of students.

Since the government is spending less as part of a plan to deal with the deficit, it wants to allow universities in England to charge higher fees.

The government plan for graduates is: nothing to pay upfront, increase the amount you earn before you have to start paying back, and increase grant and loan amounts to lower income students.

Labour doesn't support the proposal. Alongside the NUS, it wants a graduate tax instead.

The Labour leader Ed Miliband says a tax would be more closely linked to a person's ability to afford fees.

The fees row has been controversial for Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats, with students accusing him of breaking promises he made before the election.

Politicians will hold a vote next month to decide if the coalition's plan can go ahead.