<p><br /> Business Secretary Vince Cable has insisted that controversial plans to treble the cap on tuition fees are "progressive" and would "maintain high quality universities in the long term".<br /> </p><p><br /> Opening a noisy Commons debate, Mr Cable, who was flanked by David Cameron and Nick Clegg, noted the "very strong feelings inside and outside the House" as he was greeted with cries of "shame!" by Labour backbenchers.<br /> </p><p><br /> In a crucial vote this evening, MPs will decide whether to charge students fees of up to £9,000.<br /> </p><p><br /> With speculation that up to half of Liberal Democrats could rebel against the Government, tensions in Parliament are running high.<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Cable said: "The instrument that we're discussing here is a central part of a policy that is designed to maintain high quality universities in the long-term, tackle the fiscal deficit and provides a more progressive system of graduate contributions based on people's ability to pay."<br /> </p><p><br /> He told MPs he had initially believed a graduate tax was a "potentially good and interesting idea" but after thorough analysis, that plan was "simply unworkable".<br /> </p><p><br /> He said he was "surprised" that Labour leader Ed Miliband, who supports the graduate tax, had "chosen to drag his party down the cul-de-sac".<br /> </p><p><br /> Labour former Cabinet minister Jack Straw intervened to speak of the "burden" on students.<br /> </p><p><br /> He told Mr Cable: "The central issue is the fact that the teaching grant is to be cut by 80 per cent and the burden of that is to be transferred to students, and it's justified by the Government's assessment of the scale of the deficit."<br /> </p><p><br /> Mr Cable said Mr Straw had struck to the "heart of the debate" - which was "how to fund universities".<br /> </p><p><br /> As the volume in the House increased, Speaker John Bercow was forced to tell MPs: "Passions are aroused- that is understood, that is accepted.<br /> </p><p><br /> "What is not understood by any democrat is that the Secretary of State should not receive a fair hearing."<br /> </p><p><br /> Students and lecturers have already begun staging a fresh round of demonstrations and sit-ins ahead of the vote on proposals to charge students fees of up to £9,000.<br /> </p>
