Students protested outside Vince Cable's constituency office tonight after he revealed he would vote for a rise in university tuition fees.

About 20 protesters were outside Dr Cable's office, in Lion Road, Twickenham, the Metropolitan Police said.

Earlier, inside the same office, Dr Cable said he had “no doubt” he should support the controversial policy that will allow some universities to charge up to £9,000 in fees.

In an exclusive interview with the Richmond and Twickenham Times, he said: “Obviously I have a duty as a minister to vote for my own policy - and that is what will happen.”

On Twitter users spoke of a police stand-off in the road and said the students were from Brunel University.

Shoruk Khaddour wrote: "Brunel students occupying Vince Cable's Twickenham office."

He later tweeted: "Stalemate on Lion Road, Twickenham. Police stand off!" and "God bless twickenham and the drivers honking to support the students!!"

Sarah Lonsdale wrote: "Anyone want to visit Twickenham HQ? Cable will vote FOR higher tuition fees."

A Met Police spokesman said officers were called to Lion Road at about 6.40pm and the protest was over after about an hour.

When asked how many police officers had attended, the spokesman said: "It was not a planned demonstration so it would have been an appropriate number of police officers - probably safer neighbourhood teams."

There were no arrests, the spokesman said.

Earlier this week the Twickenham MP had suggested he may abstain in a House of Commons vote next Thursday if his Liberal Democrat colleagues wanted him to.

But today he declared he would vote for the fee rise.

However, he stressed the Liberal Democrat Party has yet to decide how it will vote next Thursday.

During the interview he said he had considered voting with the Liberal Democrat Party as a group to abstain in order to offer an “olive branch” to his colleagues, who he said were “finding this difficult”.

The Liberal Democrats pledged to oppose any rise in tuition fees during their election campaign.

Dr Cable said: “There is a dilemma.

“I’m very clear I regard the policy as right and as a member of the cabinet I am collectively responsible for the policy.

“There is no doubt that is what I should do.”

Dr Cable had been due to meet students from St Mary’s University College, in Twickenham, at an undisclosed location to discuss the fees hike at 8pm tonight.

Sixty students from the university joined protesters in central London during the first march on November 10.

On Tuesday, thousands of students descended on central London in the third demonstration against the Government’s plans to raise tuition fees.

Dr Cable said he felt sad when he saw young people on the streets protesting against the policy.

He said: “Whenever I get the chance to discuss the situation with them face-to-face and I am able to explain it I think there is more understanding of the problem - that we had to take very substantial cuts in my department.

“The Labour Party, when in Government, were planning to cut the department by 20 to 25 per cent."

He added: “What we are doing is giving universities the opportunity to maintain high standards by charging better off graduates later in life more than they are at the moment.

“But we built in a lot of protection for students from low income backgrounds and graduates who have a low income or take time out for a family, and I think there’s common consensus that the system we’ve devised is a progressive one.”

He said only a “relatively small” number of universities would be allowed to charge £9,000 a year, and the maximum for most would be £6,000.

He said: “This is a myth that all universities will be £9,000. We have set very tough conditions before they can go above £6,000.

“There is no reason why this new system, or revised system, should stop anybody going to university who wants to go and is qualified.

“Students should be careful not to listen to the more alarmist warnings of the protesters and just recognise that for the vast majority of people who go to university it is good for them, it increases their chances of getting a good job and it’s still a good option.”

The National Union of Students is planning another day of action on Wednesday, the eve of the Commons vote.