REBEL MP Tim Farron said he will vote against the Government’s plans to treble tuition fees in the House of Commons tomorrow.

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Mr Farrron joins a number of high profile Liberal Democrat backbenchers voting against the controversial education reform, which is set to rock the party.

Mr Farron said he would keep the promise he made to constituents when he was elected that he would oppose any rise in tuition fees.

“Having made a particular promise to the people of Westmorland and Lonsdale I need to keep it,” he said.

“As someone who has come from a poor background, who got into higher education when it would have otherwise been difficult to afford, I feel keenly that this is an important issue on which I must make a stand.”

He added he was pleased his party had managed to negotiate a better outcome for part-time students who would now not have to pay any up-front fees.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has come under fire from party members for doing a U-turn on his pre-election promise that the party would oppose a rise in fees.

He is said to have spent this week trying to encourage Liberal Democrat ministers to toe the party line and vote in favour of an increase in fees of up to £9000 year.

While on Tuesday all 17 ministers agreed to pledge their support to Mr Clegg, almost half of all Lib Dem backbenchers including ex-leaders Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell are expected to vote against the plans.