Count down to fees vote

Nick Clegg is facing the strongest challenge to his authority as Liberal Democrat leader since the formation of the coalition after he failed to broker an agreement on tuition fees with the party’s president in advance of a Commons vote on Thursday. As rebel Lib Dem backbenchers intensify their demands for the vote to be abandoned in favour of a wider review of university funding, the deputy prime minister was tonight bracing himself for a “train wreck” which could see his MPs splitting four ways. Amid fears in Downing Street that Clegg is suffering a disproportionate amount of damage, David Cameron sanctioned a “rescue Nick” operation over the weekend to shore up his deputy’s position, scheduling two announcements that would appeal to Lib Dem members. – The Guardian

Just four days to go before the big commons vote on fees and what could potentially be a career-ending decision for each of the 57 MPs who were elected for the Lib Dems last May. What would you do in their position – there are just three options: You vote for the tripling of the maximum fee and risk being accused of breaking your promises and alienating a significant part of your electorate who might take it out on you at the general election. You vote against the increase in fees and risk party unity as well as in four years time being unable to associate yourself as much with the success of the coalition’s policies, assuming that they are perceived to have worked. You abstain which also breaks the fees pledge that you signed, means you cannot share as much credit for the recovery if that indeed is what happens and you look like a wuss. To my mind abstention is the worst of all worlds with none of the pluses and all of the minuses. – Politicalbetting

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “These proposals, if they go through, will change the entire landscape of education in this country and we must continue to oppose them. We need to expose the damage they will do to our universities, colleges and communities. MPs must be left in no doubt of the strength of opposition to these plans and the consequences of voting for them. We have been overwhelmed by support from people across the country against these plans and we hope they will all join us in making their voice heard this week.” NUS President Aaron Porter said: “The joint NUS and UCU march that brought together 50,0000 people on 10 November has provided the spur to a new wave of activism and lobbying, placing the Government’s policy on fees and student support policy under huge pressure. This week we must keep that pressure up as the vote approaches. MPs can be left in no doubt as to the widespread public opposition to these plans or of the consequences of steamrollering them through Parliament.” – Press Association (more…)

Clegg: No regrets

Briefly hailed as more popular than Churchill, Nick Clegg may well now be the most hated man in Britain. Effigies burnt in the street, dog mess through his letterbox, bike rides abandoned over fears for his safety. “I never imagined it would be any different,” he insists. Liberal Democrat leader; Deputy Prime Minister; architect of a new politics; and Judas to millions of students. The one-time political outsider sits forward on a plush, cream Whitehall sofa in defiant mood; belligerent even. “Not a week goes by without a commentator saying ‘next week the coalition will fall apart’, and not a week or day goes by without us confounding those views.” There must surely be times, though, when he has had second thoughts, regrets. “No. None at all. I’m absolutely convinced that almost any other course of action would have been a disaster for the country.” – The Independent

Once upon a time, long, long ago – well, six months ago – Nick Clegg gave a pre-election interview to the Observer in which he forecast “Greek-style” unrest on the streets of Britain if the next government tried to drive through policies for which it did not have a proper mandate. I thought at the time that this was over-the-top attention-seeking by a Lib Dem leader who was then struggling to make an impression on the consciousness of the nation. For this was before the leaders’ TV debate which briefly transformed him into the messiah of a new politics. I am now happy to admit that I was wrong and he was right. The government is facing street demonstrations with a Greek streak during which the protesters roar that they have been betrayed. What Nick Clegg didn’t anticipate – where his crystal ball let him down – was that he would be the focus of the fury. – The Observer

Will they, won’t they?

As students gathered for another angry demonstration on the streets of Westminster, Nick Clegg suddenly had a change of heart. He telephoned Vince Cable in a panic. “We’ve got to abstain,” he told the Business Secretary. Mr Cable was shocked at the apparent wobble. He told the Deputy Prime Minister he must hold his nerve on the approaching vote on the Coalition’s proposal to charge students up to £9,000 a year for their university fees. But Mr Clegg was adamant that he could not vote for it, according to insiders. Clearly shaken by the strength of the protests, he insisted that the party should abstain on the proposals when they go before the Commons on Thursday, despite his personally having defended them robustly in public for weeks. Mr Cable had also defended the proposals vociferously, and not just to the general public. It was the Business Secretary who was charged with writing to every Lib Dem member just before the policy was unveiled, urging them to accept the plan. Having nailed his colours to the mast so forcefully, Mr Cable was determined not to be seen performing a u-turn. He made clear they should not back out now. – The Telegraph

Nick Clegg tried last night to buy off protesting students with a pledge that the poorest ones would escape tuition fees for up to two years. The Deputy PM revealed the U-turn as chaos reigned among Lib Dems MPs ahead of a crunch vote on tuition fees on Thursday. Under his plan, about one in 20 of the 400,000 who go to university each year would be exempt from tuition fees for one year. About 80,000 students – who were eligible for free school meals in their secondary schools – a year would fight for just 18,000 places on the National Scholarship Programme. The move is aimed at easing students’ fury over the planned hike in tuition fees after violent protests across the country. But Lib Dem bosses last night refused to say whether they would vote to lift the cap in England from £3,375 to £9,000 a year – even though Lib Dem Vince Cable is the architect of the idea. – The Mirror

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Vince will vote…

Business Secretary Vince Cable will vote for a rise in university tuition fees, he revealed today. The Twickenham MP suggested earlier this week he may abstain in a House of Commons vote next Thursday if his Liberal Democrat colleagues wanted him to. But in an exclusive interview with the Richmond and Twickenham Times today, he said he had reconsidered his decision and had “no doubt” he should support the contoversial policy that will allow some universities to charge up to £9,000 in fees. – The Richmond & Twickenham Times

Vince Cable declared that he faced a “duty” to vote in favour of the rise in university tuition fees next week, guaranteeing a split in Liberal Democrat ranks when grandees oppose the policy. In a move which surprised senior party figures, who had thought Cable was prepared to abstain in the interests of party unity, the business secretary insisted that the rise in fees was the right policy. “Obviously I have a duty as a minister to vote for my own policy – and that is what will happen,” Cable told his local newspaper, the Richmond and Twickenham Times. Cable, who has the right under the coalition agreement as a Lib Dem MP to abstain in next week’s vote, has indicated to fellow ministers that he is minded to vote in favour of the rise on the grounds that he is the responsible minister. He also believes he has introduced fairness to the system by raising the salary level at which the fees are paid back from £15,000 to £21,000. – The Guardian

The party promised in its manifesto to abolish tuition fees, and senior figures including their leader, Nick Clegg, signed a pledge to vote against any increase. The party was yesterday forced to call off its London conference which was due to take place this weekend after students threatened to protest outside. In interviews earlier this week, Mr Cable said his “personal instinct” was to back the fees package in the Commons. But he said he was “happy to go along with” a mass Lib Dem abstention if all the party’s MPs agreed to it. On Friday, he told the Richmond and Twickenham Times he made this offer as an “olive branch” for colleagues who were “finding this difficult”. Mr Cable added: “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.” – The Telegraph

Chaytor pleads guilty

David Chaytor became the first former MP to be convicted over the expenses scandal after pleading guilty today to three charges of false accounting, days before he was due to stand trial. The former Labour MP for Bury North had previously denied fraudulently claiming parliamentary expenses. His eleventh-hour change of plea at London’s Old Bailey came as he exhausted legal avenues to stop his case, due to reach trial on Monday, being heard in the criminal courts. The 61-year-old stood in the glass-panelled dock of court 11 as the three charges were read aloud, answering “guilty” to each of them. Afterwards, he was mobbed by photographers as he left court in a black taxi with his legal team, making no comment. – The Guardian (more…)