Teetering On The Pledge

Words by Gareth Allen. Image from NUS.

Campbell with a pledge he intends to honour

Poor old Nick Clegg probably thought all his dreams had come true in May when he lifted his skirts in the direction of David Cameron and hopped into bed with the Tories. Deputy Prime Minister! He would get to stand at the despatch box in the House of Commons, he would definitely be on telly a lot more, he would get a whole new set of stationery… Oh yes, things were definitely on the up for Clegg and his party.

Sadly for Clegg, the last five months have been a constant struggle as he has continually compromised his principles – at least that’s what he called them before the election. The Tories have been merciless with their Liberal Democrat partners – the junior partners in this abusive relationship have been repeatedly forced to publicly humiliate themselves. From Clegg’s announcement of spending cuts specific to his home patch of Sheffield in the first week of government, it’s been clear that he wouldn’t be getting an easy ride.

We’ve already seen Vince Cable boldly go where no Tory or New Labour minister dared as he announced the privatisation of Royal Mail. Danny Alexander will be the front man later in the month when the Comprehensive Spending Review ushers in the real cuts – it’s been a phoney war until now.

But for the millions who voted Liberal Democrat in May, this week’s announcement that universities will be allowed to increase tuition fees has been the most galling yet. Cable again was put in the firing line to announce that the government would be accepting the recommendations of the Browne Report.

It has long been Liberal Democrat party policy to abolish tuition fees but, before the election they were forced to “put the policy on hold” in the face of the economic situation. I saw Clegg speak in York last October and he faced several questions on the issue from students in the audience. He wrung his hands and said that he was dead against tuition fees, but that they just couldn’t afford to make that commitment at that point. At the time, it struck me as a rather statesmanlike position to take and, for my sins, I wrote at the time “his honesty on tuition fees was genuine.”

So Liberal Democrats are rightly outraged that he is now wringing his hands once more, and changing the goalposts again. In a letter to Lib Dem MPs yesterday – many of whom signed specific pledges before the election specifically promising not to raise tuition fees – Clegg acknowledged the problem. “I am painfully aware of the pledge we all made to voters on tuition fees ahead of the general election. Departing from that pledge will be one of the most difficult decisions of my political career.” So he’s already made up his mind…

So has Menzies Campbell who, having glowered for five months from the back benches, has said he won’t support the changes. He won’t be the only one. We have to wonder how many Liberal Democrat MPs will honour the pledge they made – will more Lib Dems vote against their government than for it? If that happens, one has to wonder whether Nick Clegg is Deputy Prime Minister or Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Can he really be both?

This is the first test. It won’t be the last.