Oxford University Student Union President William Straw has embarrassed his Cabinet Minister father by publicly opposing Government plans for top-up fees for elite institutions.

William Straw

In a letter to a national newspaper he said moves towards extra charges for top universities, such as Oxford, would hit lower paid and middle-income families.

William Straw, below, called for a return of student grants and an increase in the top rate of income tax to finance higher education properly and "help provide a proper student support system".

The Labour Government, of which his Foreign Secretary father Jack is a senior member, has refused to put up the top rate of income tax for the wealthy.

Jack Straw defended his son's right to express his views, but refused to rule out top-up fees in a future parliament.

Of his son's political activities, Mr Straw -- a former president of the National Union of Students -- said: "He's an elected student representative and fully entitled to his view."

He refused to say any more about his son but said while the Government would not introduce top-up fees in this parliament, he refused to rule it out in the future, saying it was "a long-term issue".

The Foreign Secretary said that he and Cabinet rebel Clare Short -- who has publicly opposed extra charges -- both went to university in the 1960s and could not have afforded it without grants and full payments of fees.

Mr Straw admitted this was a paradox, but he said that whatever proposals came forward, the Government would protect low-income families and ensure that students from such backgrounds had proper financial support.