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Public Services for All > Published by Will Straw, November 26th 2010 at 10:16 am

Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won’t stop tuition fees rising

The Times reports today that Nick Clegg and Vince Cable are considering abstaining in the crucial tuition fees vote before Christmas. But given the Parliamentary arithmetic, a Lib Dem abstention is equivalent to a vote for the reforms.

The Times (£) reports that:

“Nick Clegg and Vince Cable are preparing to abstain from the pivotal Commons vote on increasing tuition fees, putting the policy on a knife-edge.

“Liberal Democrat ministers are discussing plans to abstain together, alongside most of their backbenchers, as the best way to hold the party together.

Given that there are five Sinn Fein MPs who do not sit in Parliament, a majority of 323 is required to pass legislation if every MP votes. With 307 MPs, the Tories fall short and require the support of at least 16 Lib Dem MPs. But if every one of the 57 Lib Dem abstains, the required majority falls to 294 and the Conservatives can pass the legislation on their own.

Lib Dem MPs have, of course, pledged “to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative” while Nick Clegg told the National Union of Students’ annual conference earlier this year:

“We will resist, vote against, campaign against, a rise in tuition fees.”

Indeed, 30 sitting Lib Dem MPs plus 103 sitting Conservative MPs, a total of 133, voted against legislation in 2004 to raise tuition fees from £1,000 to £3,000. The list included the Ministers at the heart of the decision-making on Higher Education funding including David Cameron, George Osborne, Vince Cable, and David Willetts.

As the Higher Education Bill passed in January 2004, then shadow education spokesman, Tim Collins, told the Daily Telegraph that students should “learn not pay” – the same right that most MPs had enjoyed. All 133 MPs need to explain what is different about a rise from £3,000 to £9,000.

http://twitter.com/wesstreeting/status/8102686700343296 Wes Streeting

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/greenrupertread/status/8102728119095296 RupertRead

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/migueljcollins/status/8103168147726336 Michael Collins

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/mathismylife/status/8103781786976256 Dr Math E Matics

Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising – Left Foot Forward http://bit.ly/i2WoAc
http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/8104189804675072 Shamik Das

Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu by @wdjstraw on @leftfootfwd
http://twitter.com/nixmyth82/status/8104976668692480 Nick Smith

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/angelapateman/status/8105746105372672 Angela Pateman

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: LibDem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/fhCZMJ < must vote AGAINST or it will pass
http://twitter.com/oxkev/status/8106137484271616 Oxford Kevin

The Oxford LibDem yellow Chicken needs to visit Parliament. http://bit.ly/hPipcd @leftfootforward http://bit.ly/hJFnmu @jimcranshaw
http://twitter.com/dontmindwaiting/status/8106604138336256 jennifer roberts

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/oxkev/status/8107483625168896 Oxford Kevin

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/infotectravel1/status/8123092169662464 infotectravel1

#ITTN : Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising – Left Foot Forward http://is.gd/hOCIK
Cicero21

Thank God! Some sanity returns.
http://twitter.com/angelapateman/status/8165238587269120 Angela Pateman

Clegg says MPs can abstain, if LibDems abstain on voting against raised fees, Tories can pass the legisilation: http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #voteno
http://twitter.com/mswigsy/status/8198848740597760 Wendy Maddox

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/hJFnmu
http://twitter.com/sstrarefm/status/8216149921632256 Super Strings Theory

The LibDems are considering abstaining… that's not good enough! – http://bit.ly/fUWBmz @UCLOccupation
Mr. Sensible

Will be interested to see how the Lib Dems get out of this one…
http://twitter.com/fio_edwards/status/8331845645111296 Fiona Edwards

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/fhCZMJ
http://twitter.com/joshisachdeo/status/8370661755977728 Joshi Sachdeo

RT @Fio_edwards: RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/fhCZMJ
John Green

It is time for Labour Party spokespersons to stop the constant criticism of Liberal Democrat MPs for “breaking manifesto promises”.

Ed Milliband, author of the Labour Party manifesto for the last general election, has admitted that he has torn up the document. Every pledge and every commitment has gone out of the window and been replaced by a blank piece of paper. He also admitted that there was at this moment only one new commitment being added to the blank piece of paper: “we will steal the Big Society Idea from the coalition”.

Smacks of the pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?
http://twitter.com/brumprotestor/status/9178174525014016 Brummie Protestor

#solidarity with students tomorrow. remember LDs abstaining will not stop tuition fees: http://tinyurl.com/2uanuy3 #dayx2 #demo2010 #nofees
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/11/liberal-democrats-nick-clegg-vince-cable-tuition-fees-pledge-discontent/ It is the winter of lib dem discontent | Left Foot Forward

[...] month, when a parliamentary vote on the measure is expected – with the Lib Dems permitted to abstain under the terms of the coalition agreement. Share | Permalink | Leave a comment [...]
http://twitter.com/dylans1/status/9359190728380417 dylans1

RT @BrumProtestor: #solidarity with students tomorrow. remember LDs abstaining will not stop tuition fees: http://tinyurl.com/2uanuy3 #d …
http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/9562899202711552 Will Straw

RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/debsalini/status/9562987996127232 Deborah Segalini

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/kayliesylvie/status/9563221014880256 Kaylie Oliver

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/elinhafthomas/status/9563451286355968 Elin Haf Thomas

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/ns_mehdihasan/status/9564047292760064 Mehdi Hasan

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/pims50/status/9564113717960704 pam lorenz

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/abbaspremji/status/9565459900792832 Abbas Premji

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/celticchickadee/status/9570442067050496 isla dowds

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/wee_deec/status/9570483523551233 Derek Scott

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://www.brettgerry.co.uk Brett Gerry

The mass audio-visual media has consistently misrepresented student protests and tutition fee rises – but how do we tackle them? http://bit.ly/fFKWdZ
http://twitter.com/anubeon/status/9584048317927424 Lee Hyde

RT @wdjstraw: RT @Claire_Phipps: VInce Cable says he may abstain on fees vote << Abstention is same as voting Yes http://bit.ly/dQRkhn
http://twitter.com/joejulier/status/10398190599671808 joejulier

RT @leftfootfwd: Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won't stop tuition fees rising http://bit.ly/fhCZMJ
http://twitter.com/patlockley/status/10398854641876992 patlockley

People who voted against fees in 2004 – wonder how many are bipartisan and won't change sides – http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #UNIty
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/12/danny-alexander-question-time-tuition-fees/ Danny Alexander squirms when pressed on tuition fees vote | Left Foot Forward

[...] Friday, Left Foot Forward pointed out the sheer futility of abstaining: “Given that there are five Sinn Fein MPs who do not sit in Parliament, a [...]
http://twitter.com/krishnamaroo/status/12479139646808065 Krishna Maroo

RT @wdjstraw: Cameron voted against top up fees in 2004 along with 103 current Tories MP and 30 current Lib Dem MPs http://bit.ly/dQRkhn …
http://twitter.com/andy_coates/status/12479644229963776 Andy Coates

RT @wdjstraw: Cameron voted against top up fees in 2004 along with 103 current Tories MP and 30 current Lib Dem MPs http://bit.ly/dQRkhn …
http://twitter.com/wdjstraw/status/12480014880612352 Will Straw

Cam accuses Labour of "rank opportunism" but he voted against fees increase in 2004 http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #pmqs
http://twitter.com/markfergusonuk/status/12480049018044416 Mark Ferguson

RT @wdjstraw: Cam accuses Labour of "rank opportunism" but he voted against fees increase in 2004 http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #pmqs
http://twitter.com/aaronk28/status/12480881050517504 Aaron Kumar

RT @wdjstraw: Cam accuses Labour of "rank opportunism" but he voted against fees increase in 2004 http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #pmqs
http://twitter.com/maximmanchester/status/12481018497863680 Max

RT @wdjstraw: Cameron voted against top up fees in 2004 along with 103 current Tories MP and 30 current Lib Dem MPs http://bit.ly/dQRkhn …
http://twitter.com/anubeon/status/12481374376165377 Lee Hyde

RT @wdjstraw: Cam accuses Labour of "rank opportunism" but he voted against fees increase in 2004 http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #pmqs
http://twitter.com/nataliewh/status/12481480013905920 Nat

RT @wdjstraw: Cam accuses Labour of "rank opportunism" but he voted against fees increase in 2004 http://bit.ly/dQRkhn #pmqs
http://twitter.com/paulboff/status/12483190652407808 Paul Dickin

RT @wdjstraw: Cameron voted against top up fees in 2004 along with 103 current Tories MP and 30 current Lib Dem MPs http://bit.ly/dQRkhn …
http://twitter.com/tristanosborne/status/12484007560216576 Tristan Osborne

RT @wdjstraw: Cameron voted against top up fees in 2004 along with 103 current Tories MP and 30 current Lib Dem MPs http://bit.ly/dQRkhn …
http://twitter.com/robjearl/status/12582450395881473 Rob Earl

RT @wdjstraw: Cameron voted against top up fees in 2004 along with 103 current Tories MP and 30 current Lib Dem MPs http://bit.ly/dQRkhn …
http://christhum.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/the-future-or-our-education-cuts-and-fees-part-1/ The future or our education — cuts and fees — part 1 « Ad Fontes

[...] Pontius Clegg: Lib Dem abstentions won’t stop tuition fees rising (leftfootforward.org) [...]