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Tuition fees have become a vehicle for 'coal-sceptics'

Michael Crick | 12:05 UK time, Thursday, 9 December 2010

We need a new word to describe Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who have misgivings and doubts about the coalition.

Let's call them "Coal-sceptics" for the time being, but that's not quite right.

Today's votes on tuition fees will see a strange alliance of such people - MPs on the Lib Dem left, and on the Conservative right, but also other Coal-sceptics too.

Peter Bone's remarks last night are fascinating. He's the right-wing Conservative MP who looks like Sven Goran Eriksson, and who says he's thinking of rebelling:

"This isn't about coalition fees. It is about politicians saying one thing to get elected and a different thing when they are in government... I am a Conservative, I am not a coalitionist."

The tuition fees vote has become something of a vehicle for those in both parties who don't like the Coalition, or who don't like Cameron and Clegg.

Hence the presence of David Davis and Philip Davies in the No lobby tonight. And Ming Campbell and Charles Kennedy, who had doubts about the coalition.

It's also about other issues - general backbench dissatisfaction with the establishment - see yesterday's 1922 committee revolt over IPSA - and also about the new generation of MPs more aggressively asserting their rights over the executive.

More than half the potential Tory rebels tonight were first elected in May.

We are witnessing strange developments here. But can anyone come up with a better term than "Coal-sceptic"?

My ex-wife Margaret suggests: "Scoaleptics" Pronounced skoa-leptics. Or how about "Co-phobes"?

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Clegg has been revealed as pretty much always being a Tory, Alexander is the same and Cable has been well and truly hamstrung and looks like the doddering old bumbler he insulted Brown as being. This isn't a coalition, its a Torylition - the main issue it has is the lonnies on the right not the lapdogs on the left.

  • Comment number 2.

    EVERYONE HAS THEIR PRICE - CLEGG WAS OFFERED HIS.

    Put Clegg under the psychological microscope and an ambitious man, built on a needy child, will come into focus. This aligns him with a long list of Prime Ministers and wannabe PMs. The Westminster Ethos ensures that this situation will endure. The allowances purge left the core problem untouched - as would AV if it materialised.

    Westminster is a citadel - contemptuous of, and defended against, US.
    They ALL belong to the Westminster Party.

  • Comment number 3.

    My goodness, I just finished reading about the new bank levy, which sort of turned my stomach, and now this!
    So, we need a word that describes those persons who are getting sort of sick under the The Coalition Government. Please not Coal-sceptics. (I can see the play on Eurosceptics), but Coal-sceptics makes me think about dirty coal pouring into dirty basements and causing dirty air. Maybe this is what you have in mind since the Coalition Government seems rather short-sighted?
    Any Government that would increase tuition fees to such an extent that capable minds need to forego a suitable education, is a Government that thinks only in the present and does not realize that it is selling its future, its research, its development, its future leadership and competitive edge.
    How about (and I know someone, somewhere can and will do better) "Scepti-Coalitionists"?

    We need a new word to describe Conservatives and Liberal Democrats who have misgivings and doubts about the coalition.

    Let's call them "Coal-sceptics" for the time being, but that's not quite right.

    Today's votes on tuition fees will see a strange alliance of such people - MPs on the Lib Dem left, and on the Conservative right, but also other Coal-sceptics too.

    Peter Bone's remarks last night are fascinating. He's the right-wing Conservative MP who looks like Sven Goran Eriksson, and who says he's thinking of rebelling:

    "This isn't about coalition fees. It is about politicians saying one thing to get elected and a different thing when they are in government... I am a Conservative, I am not a coalitionist."

    The tuition fees vote has become something of a vehicle for those in both parties who don't like the Coalition, or who don't like Cameron and Clegg.

    Hence the presence of David Davis and Philip Davies in the No lobby tonight. And Ming Campbell and Charles Kennedy, who had doubts about the coalition.

    It's also about other issues - general backbench dissatisfaction with the establishment - see yesterday's 1922 committee revolt over IPSA - and also about the new generation of MPs more aggressively asserting their rights over the executive.

    More than half the potential Tory rebels tonight were first elected in May.

    We are witnessing strange developments here. But can anyone come up with a better term than "Coal-sceptic"?


  • Comment number 4.

    Co-bolitionists? Because they want to abolish the Coalition? I don't know, I'm not a Co-bolionist, despite disappointment over tuition fees.

  • Comment number 5.

    A quick search of 'coalition' in my thesaurus comes up with 'alliance' as an alternative. I know 'Alliance' has traditionally had a different political meaning (where the seeds of the coalition were sown before the election e.g. SDL/Liberal Alliance), but the word has more alliterative potential.

    What about 'Alliance-Agnostics'? Or 'Alliance-Negators', abbreviated to 'Alligators'. (They want a snappy exit from the coalition...)

  • Comment number 6.

    What about 'rancourists? Given the Jenkins pronunciation of course.

  • Comment number 7.

    Further to my comment #5, I should add that the 'Alligators' have been 'snapping' at the heels of Clegg and Cameron...

  • Comment number 8.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 9.

    Anticoalitionistas (aka anticoals for short)

  • Comment number 10.

    SUBMISSION:

    Coalholes?

  • Comment number 11.

    Right now I would like nothing better than for the Metropolitan police to go on strike. But of course they cannot. Why, because I know they became police officers to help people and not to become victims of media persecution and incitement.

    I really think the media have gone too far this time and there may well be repercussions. They sensationalize and inflame public opinion and then use the police as a scapegoat for the consequences of actions they themselves set in motion.

    My step-son is in the Metrepolitan Police. I try my best to encourage him to leave this country and go to almost every other country in the world where their training and professionalism are eagerly appreciated and snapped up, and not spat back in their faces as in London.

    So many have left that the Leicester police have actually advertised in Australia for officers there to return to work here, offering a £10,000 incentive. Keep it up police haters and you never know you might get your wish fulfilled- no police, anywhere. Be careful what you wish for.

    But then again the amazing thing is that I know they're better than me. I get livid, but my step-son is a true pro, he joined the police to help people, he doesn't want industrial action that makes others suffer on his record. Like him, some people are better than that.

  • Comment number 12.

    Coalutionary = coalition revolutionary

    Good use of the ancient Greek verb "luo" = "I loose".

    Similarly we have the noun that is the destruction of the coalition - coalution.


  • Comment number 13.

    Splitters!

  • Comment number 14.

    Separatists or Separationists.

  • Comment number 15.

    As the rise in tution fees only apply to English students in English universities - is it any surprise?

    Scottish and Welsh universities will not increase their tuition fees to Scottish, Welsh and inbound EU students - but only English students will pay higher tuition fees if they are offered a place at an English, Scottish or Welsh university.

    Is that not ethically/morally wrong, undemocratic, hypocratic, disengenuous and illegal on every level of European Law?

  • Comment number 16.

    #15 corum-populo-2010

    Well where do I begin with your comments on this and other blogs on this issue, you're so blinded by your xenophobia that the facts get in the way of your rant.

    "Welsh and Scottish students - no increase - no demonstrations.
    EU students studying in Welsh and Scottish universities - no increase - no demonstrations."

    I can't speak for Welsh students, however yes there have been Scottish students from Scottish universities marching in demonstrations in both London and in Scotland; there have also been sit ins at some Universities in Scotland also. The fees rise in England will also effect Scottish tertiary education in a number of ways.

    "English students studying in English, Welsh and Scottish universities - will pay higher tuition fees. Is there a clear and evident discriminatory pattern emerging against English students - YES"

    No, LEA's and Westminster are responsible for the funding arrangements of English students at University throughout the UK, likewise SAAS is for Scottish students. If you must direct your anger at the present situation the do so at those responsible i.e. those MP's at Westminster responsible for passing this legislation.

    Both the Welsh and Scottish administrations have made the decisions, as is their duty, for what they feel is the best approach to tertiary education for their people; perhaps if those at Westminster had listened to theirs more there would not be the demonstrations that are ongoing.

    "As for the student demonstrations in London - were there any Welsh, Scottish or EU students demonstrating? NO."

    See above

    "Where these English student's demonstrations hijacked by violent nutters and gangs of anarchists - YES."

    Completely agree, these are the same 'anarchist' groups that utilise the G20 and other mass protests in order to attack the state without any clear reason other than to cause trouble.

    "Have the media focussed on Charles and Camilla's shock and horror or their security as a convenient diversion - YES. Yobs and idiots again getting media attention - which always leads to knee-jerk legislation and more oppression. Most of the time - members of the Royals travel by tax-payer paid transport and military balance-sheet funded air craft too."

    I also agree that the attack on the Royals has provided a timely distraction to focus on for those at Westminster from the tutiton fees issue.

    "Ultimately, in England - set aside your politics and consider your English taxes - English students, and their parents, are paying for subsidised tuition fees for Scottish, Welsh and EU students outside England."

    I'd certainly be interested as to where you got your figures from with regards who contributes what to the UK treasury, I have long heard the myth that England subsidises Scotland, could you please provide sourced facts for your assertion.

    I would also say that it is funny how those at Westminster seem set on holding onto Scotland at all costs; if those living North fo the Border were such a drain on the state you would think they'd be quite happy for Scotland to have it's independence.

  • Comment number 17.

    Response to post 16 @ 2:34 on 11 Dec - 'ScotInNotts'.

    Xenaphobia? Rant? It's obviously in my genes to annoy you, as I am a mix of scottish, irish, welsh, swedish and spanish.

    But I was talking about politics - and political decisions of devolved Parliaments focussed on popular voting - not about race - that only you brought up.

  • Comment number 18.

    Top news yet again from the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú, well worth £150k a year.

  • Comment number 19.

    #17 corum-populo-2010 wrote:

    "Xenaphobia? Rant? It's obviously in my genes to annoy you, as I am a mix of scottish, irish, welsh, swedish and spanish.

    But I was talking about politics - and political decisions of devolved Parliaments focussed on popular voting - not about race - that only you brought up."

    I have a very good friend who is....

    Spare me with the genetic breakdown, I too was talking about politics and you're attempts to paint both Scots and Welsh students in a bad light; furthermore you're attempts to focus on decisions made by the devolved administrations in the interests of their people as opposed to those MP's at Westminster taking decisions to the detriment of tertiary education in England in itself ecposes your line of thought.

    I notice you fail to address any of the political points made, as I asserted before maybe you should assess your own motivations for posting what you have on the subject previously.

  • Comment number 20.

    Response to post 19 @7:21am on 13 Dec - 'ScotInNotts'.

    The last three paragraphs of your rant are yours alone starting with "I have a very good friend who is ..."

    So, I would suggest you examine your own motivations for twisting any of my criticisms of Welsh, Scottish and English politics - and politicians regarding student higher education tutition fees.

    You have chosen to make this personal and exposes your line of thought.

  • Comment number 21.

    #20 corum-populo-2010

    Try again, you've still not addressed one single political point yet in any of you're responses.

    Also, I don't recall making anything personal unless your uncomfortable on being held to account for the comments you made; it's fairly simple to deduce from what point of view you made them.

    If anything personal has been written it has been by you detailing your family heritage, something which you divulged voluntarily.

  • Comment number 22.

    Post 21 @ 12:26pm on 13 Dec - 'ScotInNotts '.

    You are welcome to have the last word. You are right in every way, and I am wrong in every way. Happy Christmas and peace on blogearth. X

  • Comment number 23.

    More Cheyne-Stokes agonal gasping! Why don't we discuss the futility of King Kanute's challenge instead?

    Relatively speaking he was in with a chance. All he was being asked to do was counteract the effects of the Moon's gravitation on our seas. A small challenge in comparison to attempting to rescue the British economy, or at least to stop people who live in the UK paying for our post-WW2 soft-socialist experiment hundreds of years into the future!

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