Over 10,000 students are expected to march through London today in protest against tuition fee hikes, youth unemployment and other financial challenges facing young people in education.

Demo 2012 is being organised by the National Union of Students, with the tagline 'Educate. Employ.Empower.'

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, said:

"Today Greens stand in solidarity with the thousands of students taking to the streets of London to march for the future of higher education.

"This government’s reckless decisions to vastly increase tuition fees, scrap the Educational Maintenance Allowance and cut college funding amount to nothing less than an assault on our young people – and on the principle of universal education.

"With youth unemployment now at nearly one million and no clear sign of economic recovery, our younger generations are facing the tragic reality of being denied the same opportunities as their parents.

"What’s also tragic is that the alternatives to policies like tuition fee hikes haven’t even been looked at.

"For example, a business education tax on the top 4% of UK companies, requiring business to pay its fair share for the huge benefits it receives from higher education, would generate enough annually to abolish tuition fees altogether.

"The government should urgently get its priorities in order and reinstate the EMA, as well as scrapping fees for a fairer future for young people."

ENDS