SCORES of students and lecturers protested against higher education minister David Willetts when he visited Oxford on Friday.

Mr Willetts, inset, took part in a symposium on politics and language alongside columnist Polly Toynbee, TV presenter Andrew Marr and former chief civil servant Gus O’Donnell.

Protesters said between 180 and 200 students and lecturers, angry about the Government’s higher education policies, lobbied the event at St Peter’s College, New Inn Hall Street, following a no-confidence vote in the minister by lecturers and students in June 2011.

One of the protesters, fine art student John Scott, left, said: “I was delighted to see his speech was cut short by the noise from the protest outside.

“We believe that David Willetts’s policies are socially divisive and aimed at promoting inequality.

“Willetts and the Government want to keep Oxford and other top universities for the rich by using debt and higher fees to discourage working class students.

“We believe in an education system open to all, not just those lucky enough to attend private schools.”

No-one from Mr Willetts’ office was available for comment.