Students from Cardiff are planning to join a fourth protest against rises in tuition fees, it has emerged today.
The National Union of Students today put out a call for further demonstrations prior to the Westminster vote on 9 December.
Plans to rise tuition fees to £9,000 a year sparked the first bout of protests across the nation two weeks ago. It is understood Cardiff University students' union, who this week voted to support further demonstrations, will be providing transport to London next week and a protest in Cardiff is being organised for the eve of the vote.
This week students protested through the city on the same day the Welsh Assembly Government's education minister announced Welsh students would not have to foot the bill if a rise in tuition fees is put in place by central government.
The National Union of Students has said if MPs vote for English-domiciled students paying up to £9,000 a year to attend university, a vigil of 9,000 candles will be held in London.
Student protester Seb Power said the rally would be a chance to show solidarity ahead of the vote. He said:
"It may have some impact on the vote and may make some Liberal Democrat MPs nervous.
"But it's more about getting a message across that it is not acceptable to go back on pre-election promises and raising awareness to make people realise that students aren't happy."
This week Cardiff liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott has also been making the headlines with former pledges to vote against tuition fees withdrawn. Students have been questioning Willott's position via Twitter using the hashtag #willottwatch.
Students have planned a 'surgery surge' tomorrow outside Willott's constituency office in Cathays to demand answers and lobby her to take a position on tuition fees. Cardiff students' umbrella group Action Against Cuts Cardiff, who have been organising the protests in Cardiff, confirmed they will be supporting this demonstration and will be meeting tonight to discuss plans for next week's protests. Press spokesperson for the group, Edmund Schuessel, said:
"Six months ago, I organised a hustings debate in Cardiff Central for the general election.
"When the question was asked of all the candidates, which of them had signed the NUS's pledge not to raise tuition fees if elected, I saw Jenny Willott's hand go up and so did a hundred other students.
"Jenny Willott's 4,500-vote majority comes from students and lecturers at Cardiff's four universities. If she's going to turn her back on the people who elected her, she should resign and seek a fresh mandate."
Jenny Willott declined to comment.
