Clegg and the dissenters
David Blackburn 11:04am
Nick Clegg understands his party’s misgivings, and he has devoted an interview
with the Telegraph to calming his
troops with some of the old religion. He will continue to fight for an alternative nuclear deterrent to Trident and he hints that tuition fees will be abolished. He says of the proposed graduate
tax or student contribution:
“It’s one we think is acceptable. The perception of [tuition fees] is that it imposes a wall of debt as you walk through the entry gates of university. This has a chilling effect on applications. It sends a signal which seems to be discouraging.”
Clegg’s comments contradict David Willetts, the universities minister, who has decided that there will be no further comment until Lord Browne delivers his much threatened report. Clegg has previous form of going ‘off-message’ but this seems more deliberate than his Iraqi gaffe, designed to placate his errant MPs, some of whom are apparently poised to join Labour.
Clegg’s insouciance, assumed at the high-water mark of Cleggmania, has receded as the Liberal Democrats try and fail to influence government policy. So, the Telegraph asks about academies, Clegg talks about pupil premiums. The Telegraph suggests that the coalition is finished if AV is rejected, Clegg says that there is more to the Lib Dems than political reform. The Telegraph asserts that elements of Clegg’s party are mutinous over their lack of influence; Clegg replies that the Lib Dems professed pluralism in opposition. It’s a game attempt from Clegg; but he’d be better off simply admitting that the Lib Dems are the junior partner in coalition and that requires sacrifice. Hollow promises can only disappoint.
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davidk
August 21st, 2010 11:34am Report this commentSo, the principled Mr Clegg who 'came into politics' to reform the electoral system now says it's ok to fail on that front and limp on because the LDs have more strings to their bow?
The man couldn't lie straight in bed.
luke
August 21st, 2010 12:08pm Report this commentI see far more concessions on the horizon if Cameron wants to keep this coalition together.
TrevorsDen
August 21st, 2010 1:14pm Report this commentBollocks mr davidk ... if the electorate vote against AV in a referendum, then thats it. Life for the LDs has to go on.
Just as if the electorate voted FOR the EU in a referendum then we are stuffed.
oldtimer
August 21st, 2010 3:06pm Report this commentI see that Dizzy has posted the definitive comment on the idea of a graduate tax.
John Bracewell
August 21st, 2010 3:43pm Report this commentLibDem smoke and mirrors.
If tuition fees put people off university because it is an upfront debt that has to be repaid, then what is the LibDem answer?
Obvious, introduce a graduate tax that will ensure that graduates are paying for their degree the rest of their lives but that's in the future and maybe the graduates won't notice! A graduate tax will put people off just the same if their heart's not in studying. If degrees meant as much as they used to do, then people who are clever enough to obtain one should benefit from their hard work by enjoying the (sometimes) higher salary they can command. They are an asset to the country and should be treated as such not taxed. We have enough taxes after 13 years of Labour, we do not need more. The loans and repayment system with the size of the loan related to the length and type of degree should be administered efficiently, so that students know what arrangement they are entering into at the outset.
Boudicca
August 21st, 2010 6:25pm Report this commentA Graduate Tax will act as an incentive to any ambitious graduate to emigrate. Just what the country needs; trillions in debt, thanks to Labour and another brain drain courtesy of the LibDem element of the Coalition Government.
Any proposed Graduate Tax should immediately be named by everyone as Cameron's Tax so he understands very quickly indeed that it will forever be associated with the Government he led.
Sean
August 22nd, 2010 1:37pm Report this commentIt's a coalition government, so compromises are the nature of the game. No-one expected that either the Lib Dems or the Conservatives would get everything their own way when they joined forces. And frankly the public seem keen for compromise and negotiation in politics rather than the authoritarian Labour approach of stifling debate and crushing any opposition to their plans.
Take Trident, for example. There should be room for compromise here. The Lib Dems oppose immediate replacement and around 50% of Conservative MPs are sceptical about the need to replace it. It's only Liam Fox and a small hard core on the right who are determined to go full steam ahead on Trident. The compromise is obvious: delay replacement, scale back the programme to fewer submarines with less missiles, and take the submarines off constant nuclear patrol (As advocated by an increasing number of defence experts). No-one gets exactly what they want but it's a workable solution that everyone can live with and, most importantly, it does not jeopardise the UK's security in the slightest.
Tim W
August 22nd, 2010 4:31pm Report this commentIs he thick. He says "it has a chilling effect on applications". But record numbers are applying to university. Or am I missing something?
Clem the Gem
August 23rd, 2010 7:26am Report this commentHow on earth can you compromise over the nuclear deterrent? Buy three boats but only two missiles? Jusy buy the airfix kits, making HM Treasury happy?
Either you have a fully functioning Trident system, or we scale down towards a more tactical style system - that is not compromise, that is a change of policy.
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