Rebels missing from fees debate
Only one Labour rebel has been included in the committee designed to discuss the higher education bill, it was announced today.
George Mudie is the only member of a 72-strong contingent of Labour MPs who voted against the introduction of higher tuition fees to be named, prompting suggestions that the government has ‘stacked’ the committee in order to prevent further trouble.
Tony Blair had to work hard last week to convince his party to back an attempt to introduce top-up fees, and it now appears that his government is attempting to smooth over the process of implementing the changes.
Sixteen Labour MPs have been named among the 25 on the committee, including vocal rebel Mr Mudie and Ann Campbell, who abstained from last week’s vote.
It also includes six Conservatives, two Liberal Democrats and a member of the Welsh Plaid Cymru party, and will be chaired by Labour’s Jimmy Hood and Conservative MP Roger Gale.
But there is no place for Ian Gibson and Paul Farrelly, both of whom played major parts in the government rebellion last week, leading to suggestions that Downing Street had taken the easy option.
Liberal Democrats education spokesman Phil Willis believes their omission was a mistake, telling the Guardian they would “have brought a great deal to the debate and Paul [Farrelly] has been denied an opportunity to speak on the floor of the house.”
