I've filed this under "devolved absurdities":
Scottish Liberal Democrat MP, Jo Swinson follows the official UK party line on the introduction of tuition fees whilst the party in Scotland Parliament has the policy of and votes for "free" ( of course it isn't really "free" but you know what I mean) university tuition in Scotland.
Apparently Ms Swinson actually wrote in favour of both policies last week (I would be grateful if anyone has access to the original article)! I don't know if she has two hats, one labelled "UK minus Scotland", the other "Only Scotland" that she wears depending on which audience she's speaking to you but it sure is an impressive feat to believe in both principles simultaneously.
4 comments:
Fundamentally dishonest and completely unprincipled. I may have been a founder-member of that party but I think it is easy to see why I left in disgust.
But then, we are talking the same Liberal Democrats who liked to bleat about "No tuition fees" when they were in the BBC studios but who made it a condition of their entering into a coalition with Labour that tuition fees would be imposed on English "fee refugees" wanting to attend a Scottish University.
Think you mean Jo Swinson!
Think I do, now altered;)
Can't find a recent one but here's Ms Swinson circa 2006:
http://www.joswinson.org.uk/articles/000046/making_a_difference__liberal_democrats_with_a_bright_future.html
The abolition of up-front tuition fees in Scotland in favour of a graduate endowment is creating an environment in which more students can afford to go to university. Those from poorer backgrounds are not discouraged by fears of graduating with a millstone of debt. Compare this to England and Wales, where variable top-up fees of up to £3000 a year take effective this September - effectively creating a two-tier system, excluding poorer students and burdening thousands with huge debts.
And here she is in 2005 speculating that the student vote might help her win East Dunbartonshire...
http://www.joswinson.org.uk/news/000071/student_vote_will_help_lib_dems_in_east_dunbartonshire.html
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