Munira Wilson, MP for Twickenham and Teddington, has attacked the Government for proposing "unwarranted cuts" to London higher education grants that will "level down London" and see students from disadvantaged backgrounds worse off.

This follows the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, proposing to remove the London weighting from grants to higher education institutions, which will have a profound impact on London universities such as St Mary's University in Munira's constituency.

Munira has written to Michelle Donelan, Universities Minister, arguing that the burden of these cuts will be "shouldered by students" and will "deepen disadvantage" for those who already struggle to afford living in London.

Munira Wilson said:

"I am extremely concerned and dismayed by the proposals to cut London weighting for higher education institutions. The removal of these funds will directly impact students at a time when London is already a very expensive place to study and live. This includes those students who attend St Mary's University in my constituency.

The rationale laid out by these cuts is the need to "level up" university funding across the UK, yet all these proposals do is level London down. The Government has failed to take into account the fact that half the boroughs in London remain in the most deprived third of English local authorities. Let's be clear: these cuts will hurt those from disadvantaged backgrounds the most.

To propose these cuts at a time when universities and students are already feeling the impact of the pandemic is unacceptable and does a disservice to the outstanding research London universities contribute to the UK and internationally. I will do all I can to fight these proposals so that students and universities do not feel the deep impact of these cuts"