As a Lib Dem I'm perfectly happy with Members of parties not voting with the whips. The rebel in me likes it when MP's don't vote with their own party on principal. So I don't have a problem with Lib Dem MP's voting many different ways on tuition fees.
However this is in no doubt a Lib Dem PR disaster, Lib Dems have never been good at PR and our MP's have not been able to put the case across that this system is similar to a graduate tax. Labour Blogger Scarlet called it a mess and I agree it is a real mess.
What I don't understand is the meeting today on how Lib Dems MP's will vote. Why leave it so late. Why not sort out what we are doing sooner. They don't need the extra detail for that meeting, the MP's know it already.
Lib Dems need to act like a party of government otherwise we will never again be in government.
Take Vince's words for example. Vince Cable need to be a little bit more careful in how he explains things. Vince was explaining that the Lib Dems can abstain not that he would abstain on his own legislation. The media can twist your words if you are not clear Vince.
So please get it together people.
The LibDems have been completely stitched up by the Tories over the proposed huge hike in university Tuition Fees. The Tories are getting no flak for it and the LibDems are taking it all.
ReplyDeleteSadly politics nowadays is all about PR and presentation rather than content, and the LibDems are a PR disaster appearing to be indecisive, opportunistic and lacking in integrity. It's a disaster for the party.
You're correct in saying that Lib Dems have a history of bad PR, and I agree completely with the poster above on the problem of politics being "all about PR." A disaster indeed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you.
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