Medway’s MP Rehman Chishti has labelled the rise in tuition fees a ‘fair package’, despite widespread criticism of the Browne Report’s recommendations last month.

Speaking to journalism students at Parliament, Mr Chishti acknowledged that the hike was ‘tough but fair’, but declined to comment when asked if green-lighting a rise of up to £9,000 would alienate voters in support of the coalition ahead of the next election.

Toeing the coalition-party line, Mr Chishti insisted that the government had no choice over the Spending Review’s strategy. He lamented the ‘mess’ which the previous Labour government had left Britain in to justify the increase in fees and cuts imposed.

Despite campaigning against the introduction of tuition fees as a student in 1998, Mr Chishti said: ‘You have to judge it by the package, it’s a fair package and I don’t think you can single out one figure. A key detail is that £6,000 is what it is, a charge of £9,000 for a year’s education at university is in extraordinary circumstances,’ Mr Chishti declared.

‘If people want to go to university they should be able to do it and those who want to go will go,’ he added.

A former barrister, Mr Chishti defected from the Labour party to the Tories after unsuccessfully contesting the Horsham constituency in 2005 but returned to his hometown of Gillingham, where he was elected to Parliament in this year’s general election.

He spoke of his pride at representing the community he grew up in: ‘When you can take your constituents’ case from Gillingham to Parliament and you’re fighting for your residents on local and national issues, you’ve got to make sure you’re on your feet.

‘Their concern is your concern. If I get the 11:22pm train home and when residents see me, they recognise that I’m part of the community. My political aspirations are that I’ll be bloody happy if I can make my constituents happy.’

The ongoing debate revolving around the Mayor of London’s proposals to build an airport in the Estuary area have been met with stern resistance by the majority of Medway residents, and Mr Chishti was forthright as he reiterated his and the Prime Minister’s stance against plans. Although he admitted that analytical reaction threatened to prolong the dispute.

‘I am delighted by the Prime Minister’s response and hope this will put an end to any further speculation, there’s no way there should be an airport in Medway. However reactionary questions and answers are liable to reignite the debate,’ he said.

Mr Chishti also offered a ringing endorsement for the 2012 Medway bid for city status, proclaiming that: ‘Medway is a city in all but name. There are cities that have done really well with economy and regeneration and we have similar aims.’