A LAST ditch attempt to save a support grant for students failed when the Government last night scrapped the Education Maintenance Allowance.

The Labour Party's call for Education Secretary Michael Gove to rethink his controversial decision was defeated by 317 votes to 258, a Government majority 59.

It followed a full day's debate with clashes in the Commons and protests on the streets.

Hundreds of students visited the country's capital to lobby against the proposals.

And among them were students from Plymouth who also handed a petition to city MP Oliver Colvile.

But their campaign collapsed when MPs voted in favour of ditching the EMA, which helps poor families pay for transport costs for attending college among other things.

City College Plymouth student Rachel Clancy, aged 17, from Honicknowle, said: "There will be a serious question mark for a lot of people over whether they can now attend college.

"Loads will pull out. It will affect a lot of people from poorer families.

"It is creating a divide between upper and lower class. It will be difficult for me to pay for transport to get to and from college but I think I may just manage.

"A lot won't be able to manage."

Liam Gilbert, Student Union president at City College Plymouth, said yesterday: "Let's not forget that EMA is not a form of pocket money but vital support to the poorest students – and allows them and myself to buy books and pay for travel to college.

"Without this support many fellow students will be forced to drop out."

A total of 1,115 students at City College Plymouth receive an EMA – and 89 per cent of those receive the top £30 allowance.

The EMA is a weekly payment of between £10 and £30 given to the poorest 16 to 18-year-olds, living in households earning under £30,800 a year, to help them stay in education.

Cara Davies, A-level student at the college, said: "The Government needs to heed yesterday's outcome as it has failed students up and down the country."

Ms Davies claimed that, before last year's general election, the Conservative Party had said that it would continue with EMA.

Jake Paget, vice-president for further education at Plymouth College of Art's Students' Union, also joined the national student lobby of Parliament yesterday.

He said: "It has been suggested that the EMAs will be scrapped and replaced with just 10 per cent of the original grants. That doesn't even scratch the surface."

Mr Colvile, the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Tory MP, admitted he had voted with the Government to scrap the EMA.

And he said he had met with ministers to discuss issues faced by students from poor families.

"We need to be clever," he said.

"Ten per cent of people will be put off going into higher education. We need to target any money to them.

"I have made it quite clear there is an issue to do with travel allowances and the ministers understand that."

Mr Colvile said he is willing to meet with students in the coming weeks to discuss what can be done now, and blamed the previous Labour administration for making "such a state" of public finances.

However backing up his vote in favour of scrapping the EMA he added: "We need to make sure that any money we have is targeted at those people who most need it."

Before last night's vote Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham had warned that "incredible" human and social progress made since the 1980s would be "thrown into reverse" if the allowance was ditched.

CASE STUDIES: city students

THREE students at City College Plymouth who each receive the top

£30-a-week EMA grant have said scrapping the payment is devastating news

and means many students face having to quit.

Zoe Burns, aged 18, from Stonehouse, is in her second year of three on a beauty therapy diploma course.

She said she uses the cash to pay for her uniform and equipment, as well as to travel to and from college.

Speaking

before last night's Commons decision she said: "To be honest, without

the EMA I wouldn't bother going to college. It's my motivation.

"If

the grant is cut then many people won't go to college and some will be

unemployed – meaning that will cost more for the Government in benefits

than the grants cost."

Rachel Clancy, aged 17, from Honicknowle, is also in her second year of beauty therapy.

She too uses her grant for travel – she takes two buses to college – and for her uniform and equipment.

She said yesterday: "I pay for myself, so it works out quite expensive to travel to and from college.

"The EMA means I can afford to go to college and get something at the end of it for all my hard work.

"There will be a lot of people at the college who won't be able to stay next year as well."

Andy Bennett, aged 17, is in his first year of a three-year catering course.

He needs his EMA cash so he can travel to the college and also to "feed myself".

Andy, who lives in Estover, said: "My mum can't afford to pay for me so I rely on that money.

"I won't be able to afford to go to college without the Education Maintenance Allowance money.

"It will ruin my dreams of becoming a chef."