AN ANGRY student leader has asked to meet with MP Ruth Kelly to discuss why she supports university tuition top up fee plans.

Wayne Taylor, President of Bolton Institute Students Union, has written a letter to the Bolton West MP requesting she explain her approval of the Government's controversial tuition fee plans - which he claims will plunge students further into debt.

At present, students face annual fees of up to £1,125, but Labour proposes to allow universities to charge up to £3,000 per year from 2006.

Ms Kelly is the only one of Bolton's three MPs to fully support the proposals.

In the letter, Mr Taylor wrote: "I look forward to hearing why you back a scheme which actually leaves students more in the red rather than less in the red."

Mr Taylor told the MP that while he does agree with the Government that the Higher Education System had been under-funded for many years, he thinks variable top up fees are not the way forward.

He said: "There are 39 other funding models available from the DfES for the Government's disposal."

Labour claim part of the reason for introducing the fees would be to help increase the number of students going to university.

But the student leader says the proposed variable fees would deter students going into higher education.

Mr Taylor dismisses Government claims that students from the poorest backgrounds will be no worse off as a result of the proposals because of a combination of grants, fee remittance and extra cash.

A spokesperson for Ms Kelly said that she had not yet received the letter, so could not comment on Mr Taylor's claims, although she remains fully supportive of the Government's proposals.

The Government top up fee plans mean students would only need to pay for their tuition fees once they have graduated and are earning at least £15,000.