Is the Coalition actually coming to an end this time?

It’s something that’s been asked almost daily since this government was formed in 2010 but could we actually be looking at the beginning of the end for the Con-Lib Coalition? Both parties are fully aware that distancing themselves from each other in time for 2015 is in their respective best interests but with nearly three years still to go before the next general election, is now the time to start parting ways?

As a party member, I got an email today from Clegg’s office with the subject header: “The contract is broken”. Following the recent announcement that the Conservatives are going to back-out of their commitment to Lords Reform, the email starts by saying:

“Reform of the House of Lords is a key commitment in the Coalition Agreement – the contract that keeps the coalition parties working together in the national interest.

The Liberal Democrats have held to that contract even when it meant voting for things that we found difficult.

The Conservative Party is not honouring the commitment to Lords reform and, as a result, for the first time part of our contract has now been broken.

When part of a contract is broken, it is normal and necessary to amend that contract in order to then move on. So that is what we are doing.

I have told the Prime Minister that when Parliament votes on boundary changes for the 2015 election Liberal Democrats in Parliament will oppose them.

Coalition is a two-way street. I cannot permit a situation where Conservative rebels can pick and choose the parts of the contract they like while Liberal Democrats are bound to the entire agreement.”

[Read the rest of the message]

So, is this a genuine stumbling block for The Coalition, or is this the beginning of a carefully-rehearsed split designed to serve the best interests of both parties? I sincerely hope that neither party started down the path of Lords Reform intending to play politics but Clegg’s language certainly seems to imply that he intends to use this dispute to drastically renegotiate the terms of our relationship with the Conservative party.

While I find it quite difficult to believe that this was a genuine shock to senior Liberal Democrats who are now having to react quickly, I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle of the two extremes and that both Clegg and Cameron wanted the bill to succeed but, due to Cameron’s lack of control over his MPs, a tactical decision had to be reached quickly.

Of course this is all speculation but it makes sense that the party leaders found themselves in a difficult position that forced them to come up with new tactics. The Liberal Democrat leadership can now use Lords Reform to distance themselves from the Tories while, at the same time, giving Cameron our lack of support for boundary changes to use as his own distancing tool.

So, what now? Well, assuming that this is the start of a long and public fall-out, there are few options for how either party can advance. There’s far too much time between now and 2015 to see a troubled-partnership act through to the bitter end which means that we could end up with a minority Conservative government some time before 2015.

Labour were as guilty as anybody when it came to ‘playing politics’ with Lords Reform and, following two years of their bitter opposition to all things Liberal Democrat, it would make no sense at all for us to turn to them. That said, all parties will be in big trouble if a GE is called early as Labour still don’t have a full policy book ready and I don’t believe that either the LDs or Tories had prepared for a split quite this early.

With just 4 weeks left of Recess, all three parties are no-doubt planning furiously and the next few months will certainly be interesting to watch.

Tuition Fees

I’ve always had mixed views on Tuition Fees. I’m of the impression that it’s more important to help students with their money while AT uni, rather than with their later debt – Hell, look at me! Uni was very difficult for me for financial reasons – and it wasn’t fees that were the problem! (Thought it will be fees that stop me from going back and starting again.)

That said, I do feel that the principle of free education is important and that fees are still a barrier to education, even if they aren’t the biggest one. More importantly, however, I feel that breaking promises isn’t something to be taken lightly. Today we’re looking at a fees raising to £9,000 per year. £9,000! ALL Lib Dem MPs signed a pledge that they would not vote for a raise in fees – it’s quite sad that just a few short months later we have to remind them of that. It’s not just the pledge though. It’s not just the broken promise.

I know of a few students who got involved solely based on the tuition fee policy. Some of these students have gone on to chair LY branches and some have lead campaigns and run as candidates themselves, all because of tuition fees! Some feel so strongly about it that they would leave the party if that policy were to be reversed. The work of student activists can not be underestimated by the party. The hours and hours of trudging through the rain with heavy bags of focuses. The aching muscles and sore feet after the 50th tenement flat that morning or even just the first high rise of the afternoon. Stuffing envelopes, fighting with RISOs, staying up all night to study to leave days free for campaigning… None of this is unfamiliar to a student activist. All for the party. Who now pull the rug out and say ‘thanks for the help guys! We’re having to change our minds about a couple of things though…’

Some MPs wouldn’t be in their seats if it weren’t for the students: the students who got involved because of tuition fees.

Have they forgotten that?

Oh, and let’s not underestimate the student vote either! Students are notorious for staying in on voting day, but many do get the postal ballot or head on down to the local primary school come election day and countless students will have put a big X next to the name of an MP who had promised them free tuition fees last May. Again, ‘thanks guys! Great to be in power, but oh, about those fees….’

And if you think it’s just the students that are annoyed at this, think again! In politics, every day you are faced with ‘they’re all the same’ and ‘politicians are liars’ etc etc – I always felt that I was involved in something different. I’m not longer sure, and nor are the electorate who may previously have seen a fresh, honest and trustworthy bunch in the Lib Dems.

There won’t be a way to recover from this.

Liberal Youth are still hugely opposed to fees. That hasn’t changed!
Add your voice to ours and make it stronger.
We are calling upon all Liberal Democrat Members of Parliament to represent students and abide by their commitment to the Liberal Democrat policy of removing tuition fees.
Please sign the petition: bit.ly/dxuzRG