LABOUR is facing a mass revolt from its own parliamentary candidates desperate not to lose their seats over impending plans to raise university tuition fees.

Nearly 200 candidates, just under a third of those standing, have signed up to a petition organised by the National Union of Students opposing any increase in the current £3,220 tuition fee limit, intended to help rescue university finances.

The Labour rebels are led by six former ministers, a serving government whip and the parliamentary private secretary to David Lammy, the universities minister.

Both main parties have hinted students will have to pay more towards their tuition, but have refused to say outright that they favour an increase.

Both Lord Mandelson, the first secretary of state, and David Willetts, the shadow universities secretary, have said they state their policies when a funding review is completed after the election.

Those signing the NUS’s “Funding our Future Pledge” declare they will vote against any increase in fees during the next parliament.

Nearly half the 700 candidates signed up so far are LibDems, but only 10 have done so from the Conservatives, seen as the party most likely to raise fees.

The revolt in the Labour ranks is largely a reaction to fears that the Liberal Democrats, who oppose any increase in fees, could pick up seats particularly in university cities.

Those who are vulnerable include Andrew Smith, the former pensions secretary who is defending a majority of below 1,000 against the LibDems in Oxford East. “It has a huge impact in my constituency.

“I am concerned at the extent of student debt and therefore I would be opposed to an increase in the fees”.

Roberta Blackman-Woods, Lammy’s aide, is defending a majority of just 3,274, also against the Lib Dems, in her constituency of Durham, a city with a big student population. Lammy has said it would be “nonsensical” to pre-empt the funding review.

Labour’s decision to increase university “top-up” fees were nearly derailed by a backbench revolt in the Commons in 2005. Tony Blair was only saved from a humiliating defeat when Gordon Brown ordered his followers to switch sides and back the reform.

Lib Dems who have signed the NUS pledge include Charles Kennedy, the former leader, and Stephen Williams, the higher education spokesman.

Other Labour signatories include Frank Dobson, the former health secretary, Gisela Stuart, the former Europe minister and Stephen McCabe, the government whip and MP for Birmingham Hall Green, a constituency with a large population of university staff and students.

McCabe, who was parliamentary private secretary to Charles Clarke, education secretary when top-up fees were enacted, said universities had failed to meet their side of a bargain made at the time by not developing alternative sources of funding from companies and elsewhere.

McCabe said the prospect of higher fees was a significant issue in his constituency. “Parents are looking at family budgets and the economic situation. Quite a few people have raised it with me,” he said.

Wes Streeting, president of the NUS, which holds its annual conference in Newcastle this week, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see so many Labour candidates and established figures taking a stand against higher fees.

“It is disappointing that so few Conservative candidates are willing to state where they stand. Many students will draw the conclusion that the Conservatives are the party most inclined to hike up fees.”

All three party leaders have recorded messages for the NUS conference. David Cameron says: “Top-up fees and the tuition fees have to stay”, although Gordon Brown does not address the question, saying: “I promise to spend every waking hour fighting for your future”.

Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, is the most outspoken. “We will resist, vote against, campaign against, a rise in tuition fees,” he promises.