Action on EMA’s

Tens of thousands of teenagers, college lecturers and teachers will take to the streets tomorrow to protest against the abolition of a grant that helps young people from low-income households stay in education after the age of 16. Demonstrators have organised lunchtime marches across the country – from Hackney in north-east London to Gateshead – in a last-ditch effort to reverse the government’s decision to scrap the Education Maintenance Allowance. Almost 647,000 of England’s 16- to 18-year-olds receive the allowance, which was introduced in 2004, in return for agreeing to remain in education: £30 a week when household income falls below £20,817; £20 a week if household income is between £20,818 and £25,521; and £10 a week if it is between and £25,522 and £30,810. In some parts of the country, such as Birmingham and Leicester, four-fifths of 16-year-olds receive the allowance. Campaigners say black and minority ethnic students will be particularly affected by its abolition because a high proportion claim the grant. David Cameron announced in October the allowance would be stopped at the end of the academic year, and it closes to new applicants next month. Before the general election, Michael Gove, now education secretary, denied that his party intended to end the benefit. – The Guardian

Warning siren for Lib Dems

Extensive polling of 2,000 people who voted for Nick Clegg’s party in May suggests just 54 per cent will back the Lib Dems in five years’ time. Some 22 per cent of Lib Dem voters say they will chose Labour. The polling, conducted by Lord Ashcroft, the former Tory deputy chairman, and revealed exclusively by The Sunday Telegraph, also shows that 44 per cent of Lib Dem voters in May say their view of the party has “got worse.” The findings will make grim reading for Mr Clegg and his fellow Lib Dem ministers. The polling, all in Lib Dem-held seats, was done 10 days before last week’s key parliamentary vote to increase university tuition fees to up to £9,000 a year, which saw the party’s MPs split three ways and the coalition’s Commons majority slashed by three quarters. Mr Clegg faces a series of further tests of his leadership, starting this week when the House of Lords votes on the tuition fee rises. Insiders predict the result could be “even tighter” than last week. – The Telegraph

A Liberal Democrat MP has warned Nick Clegg that he needs to convince his party that he remains the right person to be leader. In an open attack on Mr Clegg, Greg Mulholland, a former schools spokesman for the party, who voted against raising tuition fees on Thursday, questioned the wisdom of the party being in the Coalition. And he warned Mr Clegg that the party was “hurting”. “It is very important that Nick gets out to the wider party and reassures people that the Coalition is not only doing a good job for the country but also that it is the right thing for the Liberal Democrats as a party,” he told the BBC’s The World This Weekend programme. “He has done a very good job as Deputy Prime Minister but he also needs to show that he remains the right person to get out and communicate with our members.” It emerged that Labour is to step up its efforts to woo the 26 Liberal Democrat MPs who refused to support Mr Clegg on tuition fees. “I want to make a clear offer to them that I want to work with them,” said Labour leader Ed Miliband. – The Independent (more…)

EU parachute for Clegg?

Clegg's Sheffield seat will be targeted at election

Nick Clegg is being lined up for a top EU job in an “emergency exit” strategy as he faces a revolt in his party over tuition fees. David Cameron is ready to ­parachute the Lib Dem leader into Brussels as Britain’s EU Commissioner amid fears Mr Clegg will struggle to hold his seat as an MP at the next election, say Downing Street sources. The Deputy PM would ­replace Labour peer Baroness Ashton in the post which carries a £239,000 salary and perks package worth ­another £100,000 a year. The Foreign Affairs chief is due to stand down with the other EU ­Commissioners in October 2014 – just ahead of the next general ­election in May 2015, though there is speculation she could quit sooner. A Downing Street source revealed: “David Cameron owes Nick Clegg a huge debt for coming into the coalition and taking a massive personal hit over tuition fees. “If it looks like he will lose his Sheffield Hallam seat, there will be an emergency exit strategy which could see him land one of the big jobs in Brussels. – The Mirror

Lib Dem grassroots look towards Miliband

The depth of anger among the Liberal Democrat grassroots over tuition fees is laid bare tonight in an astonishing article by the party’s former director of policy. Richard Grayson claims that most Lib Dem members have more in common with their counterparts in the Labour party and the Greens than with their own leadership. Grayson, who was director of policy between 1999 and 2004, and until October a vice-chairman on the party’s federal policy committee, says the divisive issue of tuition fees should make ordinary Lib Dems “sit up and think”. He urges the party to seize the “exciting opportunity” of Ed Miliband‘s leadership and to engage more with its traditional enemy. He says the Labour leader is a genuine pluralist and points to the fact that he has signed up to the campaign for the alternative vote (AV). But he adds: “The current Liberal Democrat leaders will not always be our leaders. In time, the centre-left roots of the party should (or at least could) reassert themselves.” – The Observer

Research by Ipsos MORI for the News of the World underlines the damage from last week’s Commons showdown which saw the party’s MPs split three ways. Mr Clegg has appealed for the Lib Dems to come together in the wake of the bitter arguments, disclosing new details of the Pupil Premium for poor children in an effort to highlight the benefits of being in coalition with the Tories. But some backbenchers have been highly critical of his handling of the fees issue and there are even rumours of a leadership challenge. Labour leader Ed Miliband used an interview to try to capitalise on disaffection in the ranks, appealing for Lib Dem MPs to come and work with the Opposition. “I want to extend a welcome to them to work with us,” he told The Sunday Times. – PA

Labour ahead in poll of polls

For nearly a fortnight the YouGov daily poll has had the Tories equal or ahead making it out of line with all the other firms. Now that has changed tonight with the Politicalbetting All Pollsters Index (PAPA) showing a Red-Blue gap of more than three points. For the Lib Dem the polling woes continue with YouGov having them down once again into single figures. The hit that the party has taken is enormous and we’ll be able to see the full impact when the other December polls come in. – Politicalbetting

Tories at war over justice reforms

The reaction from the public – and from Fleet Street – has already forced the Coalition to toughen its policy: 24 hours after Clarke announced the abolition of minimum sentences for murderers, he was ordered by Cameron to reinstate them. A fascinating battle is raging between Andy Coulson, Downing Street’s tabloid-attuned head of communications, and the Justice Secretary. Clarke is not, however, a man to be bullied. Like Iain Duncan Smith, he has no ambitions for promotion. If he isn’t allowed to deliver the reforms he wants, he will simply light one of his favourite cigars, slip on his famous hush puppies, and walk out of the Government. – The Telegraph

Coulson under fire for fees

Coulson, while he was in court last week, as a witness in the Tommy Sheridan perjury case in Glasgow, he gave the impression that, having taken legal advice, his fees had been paid by his former bosses at News International. This has caught the eye of Labour MP Tom Watson, who suspects any such payment may constitute a “gift” (or at least may invite suspicion of a lingering outside influence), and therefore needs to be declared to his civil service bosses. Just to make absolutely certain (many a slip, and all that), Watson has dropped a line to Cabinet Secretary, Gus O’Donnell. – Independent on Sunday