Students gear up for mass rally against axed EMA grants
THOUSANDS of students are expected to take to the streets today to protest against the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance grant.
The axing of the grant, paid to teenagers from the poorest families, could lead to 70 per cent of those receiving it dropping out of school or college, according to new research.
Students are set to lobby MPs ahead of a crunch Commons vote urging the Coalition to rethink the �560m cost-saving programme.
Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas and Barking MP Margaret Hodge are expected to back the Labour motion against the abolition of the �30 weekly grants.
EMAs were scrapped last year but some students are to carry on receiving the grants until July.
You may also want to watch:
The largest protest is expected to begin at Piccadilly Circus at 5pm. Police are hopeful the march will not descend into violence.
A Met spokesman said today: “We have had a useful dialogue with the organisers, the National Union of Students, and are aware they will hold a lobby in the House of Commons.
Most Read
- 1 How Dagenham are you? Take our quiz to find out.
- 2 Ex-Strictly Come Dancing star gets pupils shimmying in Barking
- 3 Three shops 'fail test purchases' after joining safe knife selling scheme
- 4 Youngsters create film inspired by Dagenham's links to slave trade abolitionists
- 5 'Stunning mural celebrating Barking history is complete
- 6 Hundreds arrested after police crackdown on county lines
- 7 Residents and traders react to proposed A13 tunnel in Dagenham
- 8 Thames Barrier closing for 200th time amid potential east London flooding
- 9 Paralympic gold medallist inspires Dagenham judo pupils
- 10 Murder of 'local hero' policeman in Dagenham to be marked after 175 years
“An appropriate and proportionate policing plan is in place, which is flexible and can adapt to whatever unfolds on the ground.”
