Rebels have been told there will be no more concessions on fees

Alan Johnson has sent a tough message to opponents of the plan to allow universities to charge students variable fees of up to �3,000 per year.

Labour opponents of the fees plan almost defeated the government in a House of Commons vote last week.

But Mr Johnson says that there will be no more changes to the proposals.

Rebels uncowed

The Higher Education Bill, having narrowly survived the backbench rebellion, is set to face further scrutiny as it passes through Parliament.

Alan Johnson says the principle of variable fees is non-negotiable

And Labour MPs who voted against the student funding proposals have warned that they will continue their opposition.

A leading fees rebel, George Mudie, and member of the committee which is set to examine the Bill, says that he will still "oppose it all the way".

"I believe it's wrong," he says, and he describes his conflict with government over tuition fees as one of the "saddest periods of my political life".

He says that he is opposed to the principle of allowing universities to set their own "variable" level of fees - and he says that the means-tested income levels for student support do not provide enough for many families.

'Top brass digging in'

But Mr Mudie, MP for Leeds East, is not optimistic of getting changes from the committee stage - and he interprets the higher education minister's hard line as a sign that the "top brass are digging in".

George Mudie is pledging to continue his opposition

If there is going to be further pressure applied to the government over tuition fees, he says it is more likely to be after the committee stage - when the Bill faces further votes in the Lords and the Commons.

But there are few signs of changes on offer - as the higher education minister has taken an uncompromising stance and is promising no more watering down of the proposals.

And he says that the principle of variable fees is not open to negotiation.

"It is a total package and everything hangs together," he told the Times newspaper.

A Department for Education and Skills spokesman told BBC News Online a clear message was being sent out - that the fees proposals were a final package, and there was not going to be an open-ended round of further compromises.