The government was yesterday hit by a backbench rebellion over plans to introduce top-up fees at elite universities.

Ministers had come under fire from a coalition of Tories, Liberal Democrats and Labour rebels.

As scores of Labour MPs stayed away MPs voted by 267 to 193 against a Liberal Democrat motion calling for the plans to be abandoned. The government's majority was cut to just 74.

Higher education minister Alan Johnson "rejected completely" the argument that the policy would damage the chances of working class children.

"We are abolishing up-front fees. Students will not pay. Parents will not pay. Graduates will pay at a very affordable rate," he said.

And he claimed that "this is not a pernicious, regressive regime".