Write, March, Lobby! Say NO to academic vandalism in the UK

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Thursday 9 December has been announced as the date that MPs are to vote on controversial plans to raise tuition fees in England. The vote will be a critical test for the Coalition Government, which has faced mass protests over its plan to triple fees to £9,000 after every Liberal Democrat MP signed an individual pledge to vote against any increase if they were elected to parliament.

With the vote being rushed through, it is absolutely crucial for students, academics and other university workers, and their families (and everyone else!) to write to, and otherwise lobby, every MP and counter every argument to vote for increasing the cap. The scale of the task that faces the anti-cuts/anti-tuition fee rise movement is daunting but the efforts so far have been more than up to this challenge.

Over 52,000 people attended the national demo on Wednesday 10 November and independent local student actions have sprung up across the country.

For all those who have supported the campaign, we need to dig deep to deliver on this final and most crucial ask to lobby your MP and to do so today. (Students who can be registered in two constituencies need to contact both sets of MPs).

1. WRITE TO MPs NOW! For useful information about letter writing, including letter templates, please visit the websites of the Campaign for the Public University and the National Union of Students. 
2. MARCH! There will be a National demonstration from University of London Union (ULU) to Parliament, assemble at 12 noon, December 9, at ULU, Malet Street.
3. LOBBY PARLIAMENT! From 1pm, there will be a mass lobby of MPs at Parliament before they debate (and vote on) increasing tuition fees.  Lobbyists will join protestors on Victoria Embankment for a rally from 3pm (see here for directions).  After it gets dark, the protestors will hold up 9,000 Glo-sticks in a 'candlelit' vigil with the stunning Thames backdrop to symbolise the potential new annual level fee bill students could be hit with.