UNIVERSITY activists are looking to involve sixth-formers and college students in a Colchester-wide campaign against tuition fee increases.

The plan was laid out yesterday at a meeting of Essex University students opposed to Government plans to scrap the cap on fees for courses.

There were also calls for a protest “teach-in” on the campus, to warn undergraduates of reforms proposed by Lord Browne in his report on higher Education funding.

The proposals, which have ministers’ support, would save billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash, but force many universities to charge £7,000 a year, or possibly more.

Nathan Bolton, campaigns officer for the Essex Education Activist Network, called the meeting. He said: “Lord Browne wants university education to be floated on the private market.

“It is a violent slap in the face for all working-class people who want to go to university.

“We need to organise our resistance to this.

“The more we can get a broad group of people to support us, the more we can get our message through to the Government and the vice-chancellor of the university.”

The meeting heard students planned to seek support from teenagers at Colchester Sixth Form College and Colchester Institute, as they will be hit hard by fee increase if they go to university.