A week in politics: Lib Dems take one for the team
Another week, another unfortunate series of events for the Liberal Democrats, whose relationship with the Conservatives looks more and more like that of a battered housewife. Vince Cable ruled out a graduate tax on Sunday, and by Tuesday it was clear that Lord Browne wanted to scrap the cap on tuition fees altogether. They could have abstained of course – it was in the coalition agreement. But to abstain was to weaken the coalition. It would have been technically possible, but politically disastrous. In the end, it looked like they would take one for the team
It was a progressive document, with students only paying back the loan once they hit £21,000. But promises are promises and, unfortunately, every single Lib Dem MP promised to oppose a rise in fees at the last general election. Cable made a good fist of justifying the decision to back the “thrust” of the Browne review in the Commons that afternoon, but the reaction of Labour MPs (who have their own divisions on the subject) was incandescent. By Friday, someone had redirected traffic from www.liberaldemocrats.co.uk to a YouTube video contrasting Nick Clegg’s statements before and after the election.
The press’ attention was temporarily distracted on Wednesday, when Ed Miliband entered the Commons for his first PMQs as opposition leader. The press gallery was stunned to find the man they had patronised for two weeks easily beat David Cameron in a confident and businesslike manner.
It wasn’t all good news for Labour though. Former Europe minister Dennis MacShane was reported to police this week over his expenses claims. The party took less than an hour to decide it would withdraw the whip.
The prime minister looked visibly shaken when he learnt British hostage Linda Norgove had probably been killed by an American grenade rather than her captors during the rescue attempt in Afghanistan over the weekend. Journalists, who had been kept waiting for over a hour while Mr Cameron ensured her parents were informed first, were part of a sombre and difficult first press conference from Downing Street.
Thursday saw quango’s in the spotlight, as thousands of worried civil servants tried to find out if the body they worked for would survive the bonfire. Hundreds went, many more were merged, and some were spared – but we never did find out if it would actually save any money. Early Tory deficit reduction rhetoric turned into an argument about ministerial responsibility. Bonfire of the quangos or smoke and mirrors? Who knows.
The government saved one more review for Friday: Lord Young on health and safety. The former Thatcherite minister promised a return to common sense. Minutes later, the Tate Modern confirmed it would shut off its recent sunflower seed exhibit to visitors for fear of ceramic dust. Things change. Things stay the same.
