Thursday 2 December 2010

Between the Devil and the Deep

"He doesn't know either."

For the past couple of weeks Vince Cable and Nick Clegg have been nipping round television and radio studios trying to defend the indefensible on university fees.  They seem to have forgotten they benefitted from a free university education.

During the election Nick Clegg insisted he would first abolish tuition fees, then changed his tune a little by saying he wouldn't increase them.

Now he seems stunned that the young voters who promoted him to the post of Deputy Prime Minister are angry and his response is that the proposed system is fairer than the current system.  Also Mr Clegg's unable, or unwilling, to say if he's even going to vote for the proposal, although Vince Cable thinks he may abstain, even though he's the man in charge of implementing the fee increase.  What a ludicrous situation to ask his Tory allies to vote for his proposal but not to do so himself.

The LibDems are between the devil and the deep on this issue, but if the increase in student fees can be halted by popular resistance so too can the whole programme of public service cuts. The aftermath of the vote should be interesting.

17 comments:

JuliaM said...

Cable & Clegg should never have made promises without first having some idea of the position of the country's finances.

Demetrius said...

Its all a mess. But have a look at this one:

http://taxjustice.blogspot.com/2010/12/scotlands-martin-gilbert-wants-poor-to.html

RMcGeddon said...

I don't remember any student protests or 24/7 coverage when Labour reneged on their promise not to introduce student fees in the first place.
It just shows how easily students can be stirred up by the usual suspects.
I see there's also a fightback against Jim Mather of the SNP and his mad 'super' pylon scheme to help save us from global warming / serious climate disruption etc. Destroying Scotlands unique scenery for a total scam.
The village of Muthill have done a video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBPpbq43MZo&feature=player_embedded

Dubbieside said...

Subrosa

You have to hand it to the Lib Dems the only political party to produce two suicide notes. The first the pledge on student fees which is destroying them among students mainly in England and Wales, but the shear hypocrisy and double standards are destroying them with everyone else.

The second is the Calman proposals which are so seriously flawed that they are a joke, which will further hurt them in Scotland.

Throw in the voting system which is another pledge abandoned for a watered down version that no one is that interested in, and you have a party without principle.

What will they put in their manifesto for May? Who cares they would abandon it if there was any prospect of a ministerial mondeo.

P.S. I was just going to tear the ballot paper about the change of the voting system up in May 2011, but now I will be joining the campaign to write independence on the ballot paper. Lets hope it gets plenty of support.

Woodsy42 said...

The lib dems have always used a technique of collecting support by promising everyone what they asked for.
In the past, because they have never been in power, it has worked. Now it doesn't

subrosa said...

That's always been their style though Julia, because they never dreamt they would be in power.

subrosa said...

I read about that chap earlier Demetrius and wondered if he was just being humorous. According to the link he's not. Scary.

subrosa said...

Usual suspects RM? They wouldn't possibly have any labour leanings?

Off to watch the video. Good for them. It's a disgrace cables aren't being put underground.

subrosa said...

Auch Dubbie, that made me smile - your first sentence.

Aye they're not doing too well are they?

Did you see Iain MacWhirter's piece in today's Herald?
http://bit.ly/fuTwAP

Who's running that campaign? Please tell us so as we can promote the idea.

subrosa said...

Exactly Woodsy. They'd really be better back as opposition with their dreamy policies.

Dubbieside said...

Subrosa

The campaign was started in Bella Caledonia, I have supplied a link.

They are trying to get the message out as far as possible.

http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2010/11/30/important-announcement-an-independence-referendum-will-take-place-on-5th-may-2011/

Dubbieside said...

Subrosa

I did saw two suicide notes, they need them because they sre trying to face in two directions at one time.

Hows this for hypocrisy, I commend this bill to the house, however as Im a Lib Dem I will not vote for the bill I have just presented.

If you saw that on Bremner, Bird and Fortune you would laugh at the absurdity of it, but its Lib Dems we are talking about "absurdity R us" is the new slogan.

Joe Public said...

If Cable doesn't vote on his own legislation, the hypocritical coward must resign.

Nikostratos said...

Subrosa


As Margaret once said(and she was bang on the money)

http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/101650

The reason why specific promises of this kind should be honoured does not depend on a consent principle, but on the ground that they were promises and might have influenced someone's vote

subrosa said...

Oh dear Dubbie Bella Caledonia? I'm not one to hold grudges but not so long ago one of their contributors (they're not an individual blog like this) accused me of racism. Pathetic and a word used when they had no argument especially when it was proved the author hadn't read more than the title and the first paragraph.

I was upset actually and tired to ask for some further discussion.

Bella Caledonia aren't prepared to communication with anyone they call racist. It's such an easy label to use isn't it.

So I won't be promoting this under their banner. In fact, considering what I've heard earlier, the votes may all be put onto one paper, thus halting their idea in the embryo stage.

Kind of a stupid move when the papers aren't even printed yet isn't it?

subrosa said...

Cable will I think Joe. But that doesn't mean he's not a hypocrite.

subrosa said...

Good old Maggie. Principled to the end Niko. ;)

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