Charles Kennedy reassured MPs about the state of his health yesterday in an address to the parliamentary

Charles Kennedy reassured MPs about the state of his health yesterday in an address to the parliamentary party in which he stressed he had recovered from his “stomach bug”. There has been genuine dialogue but we believe this Bill is the best way forward for students and the higher education sector.”Tim Yeo, the shadow Education Secretary, said that there were “deep divisions” in the Labour Party over the Bill “The majority of MPs oppose top-up fees. The only way that the Bill will pass is if Government whips carry on using strong-arm tactics to force their MPs to vote against their consciences,” he said.Phil Willis, the Liberal Democrats’ education spokesman, said: “This Bill remains bad for students, bad for universities, bad for taxpayers and bad for the future of our country as a whole.”Mr Willis added: “Next week’s third reading of the Bill gives Labour backbenchers a last chance to honour their manifesto pledges, on which people voted, and save our universities from becoming a market lottery for any future students.”. It would leave intact the concessions that ministers have announced, including extra help to students from poor families, and hold tuition fees at their current flat-rate level of £1,125 a year.Dr Gibson insisted that rebels did not want to see the Bill fall “We want a Higher Education Act,” he said.

“This is a chance to do it but we want it to be right.”Downing Street signalled that the Government would withdraw the Bill rather than lose variable fees “This is not a pick-and-mix Bill. It stands as a whole and variability is a key component,” Mr Blair’s official spokesman said yesterday.”We won the day in January and we will continue to work hard to ensure that position holds when the Bill returns. Another close shave is expected on Wednesday next week, when the Bill is due to complete its final stages through the House of Commons before being sent to the House of Lords.What worries the Labour whips is that some MPs who did not rebel in January when the measure won a second reading were holding their fire until next week’s report stage and third reading debate. Last year the Government’s majority on its plans to set up foundation hospitals was smaller during the later stages than in the second reading debate.Mr Brown told the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party yesterday that universities needed the revenue that would be generated by top-up fees.”We have the right policy,” Mr Brown said. “When it comes to the vote next week, we need to be a united and disciplined party.”Ian Gibson, Labour MP for Norwich North, has tabled an amendment to the Bill removing the provision that would allow universities to charge up to £3,000 a year in tuition fees. The chancellor Gordon Brown issued a new appeal to Labour MPs yesterday not to wreck plans to bring in university top-up fees, an issue on which the Government faces another knife-edge Commons vote next week. David Laws, the party’s Treasury spokesman, said: “If the Prime Minister wants to help the Chancellor cut waste, he should start with his own office.”Mr Blair’s official spokesman said: “This has to be seen in the context of the increasing demands of a 24-hour media .. We endeavour to be cost-effective.”.

As a former BBC corporate affairs director, he may try to rebuild relations between the Government and the public broadcaster following the row over its report alleging that Downing Street “sexed up” its dossier on Iraqi weapons.Mr James, a Cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher, also worked for Capital Radio, TV-am and Cable and Wireless.The Liberal Democrats criticised the costs of the No 10 press office yesterday, which have more than doubled to £1.4m since Mr Blair came to power. During Mr Major’s final year in office, the bill was £597,240. The shake-up follows the departure last autumn of Alastair Campbell, the director of communications and strategy at No 10, a political aide who was Mr Blair’s closest ally. By replacing him with a civil servant, the Government hopes to end the controversy over spin.Mr James will put his shares in a public relations company, Brown Lloyd James, into a blind trust while he works for the Government to prevent any conflict of interest. “To plaster the simplest wall takes grace, patience, and a solid sense of how the world stands up.”Jerry’s life is changed the moment the pretty Kathleen arrives with her catering van He adores her But Kathleen feels trapped. Tony Blair will appoint a prominent former Conservative aide as head of the Government’s communications machine today in another attempt to shed Labour’s image as being obsessed with spin

Tony Blair will appoint a prominent former Conservative aide as head of the Government’s communications machine today in another attempt to shed Labour’s image as being obsessed with spin.
Howell James, who was political secretary to John Major when he was Prime Minister, is to fill a new £120,000-a-year civil service job as permanent secretary in charge of communications.Unusually, the post was recommended after a review of the Whitehall press and publicity machine by a committee on which Mr James served.Changes to the Downing Street press operation will also be announced today. Gordon Brown did nothing in the Budget to help because he failed to increase fuel duty.