MEP Chris Davies tells Liberal Democrats to be tough b******s
North West Euro MP Chris Davies has told his Lib-Dem colleagues to be tough b******s in today's vote on tuition fees.
In his latest note from Brussels he warns the party of appearing to be split on the issue.
Here is the text:
Splits weaken parties, and sometimes destroy them. The reputation of the Liberal Democrat brand is being undermined with each passing hour as the impression grows stronger that on the issue of tuition fees we are not only divided but clueless.
The case for supporting the recommendations of the Browne inquiry is strong, and if I were in the Commons I would be voting with Nick. The real damage to the party comes not from our adjusting course to take account of changed conditions, nor from rebellion by backbenchers on grounds of individual conscience, but from the impression we are now giving of being all over the place.
Some Liberal Democrats will vote for the recommendations, some against. Some want to defer the vote, others want to abstain. In short, we are creating the impression not just of being weak, but of being a joke.
I would rather us have a reputation for being tough (but fair) bastards than for being indecisive.
Liberal Democrat MPs must now decide how to vote. If they want to limit the damage there should be only two options for them to consider . Either they vote for the recommendations, recognising that they provide funding for higher education in a progressive manner that protects those on lowest incomes, or they vote against on grounds of individual conscience.
There are times when an abstention is an honourable third option. This is not one of them.
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David Bartlett
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No bandwagon this guy won't jump on to get his name in the Press. Just when you'd forgotten he existed, up he pops with an opinion on something he can do nothing about. Truth is, this bloke doesn't like being marginal. But marginal is exactly what he is
"Just when you'd forgotten he existed, up he pops with an opinion on something he can do nothing about."
That's not entirely true. It was MEPs that came up with the law that all European students had to be charged the same tuition fees.
So in the UK, the government effectively subsidises the cost of university education of French, German, Polish, Spanish etc students.
Devolution means that Welsh assembly members, Scottish Parliament members and other members of the devolved parliaments make sure their citizens pay different tuition fees through a subsidy. Although if English students study in Scotland they are charged differently to the Scottish.
The twin effects of European law and devolved decisions can't be overlooked in how we got to this situation in the first place.