ARTS Minister Michael Howarth was due to join 200 angry poets and their supporters at a demonstration in Oxford tonight.
The protest follows Oxford University Press's decision to drop 50 poets from its publications to concentrate on academic and educational books
The minister was expected to make a speech and indulge in some poetry reading himself, "as a gesture of solidarity" with the sacked poets.
The OUP move to scrap contemporary poetry was earlier condemned as "an act of Philistinism" in a cross-party Commons motion.
James Fenton, Oxford University's Professor of Poetry, was due to be among leading British poets attending the meeting in Freud's bar, opposite OUP's Walton Street headquarters. Organiser Mr Brendan Lambon said: "OUP poets will read their own poems and the work of dead poets, who are published by OUP.
"Given the company's high levels of profit, retrenchment of this nature is just not necessary or appropriate."
It is now feared the row could end up hitting Oxford University finances, with prominent benefactors withdrawing donations in protest.
Former English lecturer Mr Brian Martin said: "If the University is going to behave like that, and then send begging letters around, then maybe we will not be so keen on giving."
The OUP under a new agreement transfers £6m a year to Oxford University.
OUP says it took the decision to scrap its poetry list . It says it will honour all existing contracts.
Story date: Wednesday 03 February
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