Tag: Member of Parliament

Cornwall, Cymru, England, Lib Dems, Northern Ireland, politics, Scotland, Tuition Fees, United Kingdom, Wales1 Comment

Amongst the shouting – there were good things in that vote too

Michael McFarland Campbell
Shamed be he who thinks ill of it (shamed be w...
Her Majesty has more ministers responsible for Higher Education, than just those based in Whitehall. Image via Wikipedia

Motions inextricably linked

The debate on this motion in the House of Commons yesterday:

That the draft Higher Education (Basic Amount) (England) Regulations 2010, which were laid before this House on 29 November, be approved.

was inextricably linked to that on

That, for the purpose of section 24 of the Higher Education Act 2004, the higher amount should be increased to £9,000, and to £4,500 in the cases described in regulation 5 of the draft regulations in Command Paper Cm 7986, and that the increase should take effect from 1 September 2012.

However, whilst I do not agree with the trebling of fees for full-time undergraduates, as has been made clear in recent posts. As one who has been a part-time undergraduate the provisions on the inclusion of part-time students within the student loan system for the first time is one part of the Bill with which I can agree. Continue reading “Amongst the shouting – there were good things in that vote too”

Belfast, Blogging, Lib Dems, London, news, politics, Tuition Fees7 Comments

The 27 betrayed their Party – Shame on them!

Michael McFarland Campbell
The Palace of Westminster at night as seen fro...
The Palace of Westminster wherein the 27 Rebel MPs betrayed their Party, led by Rebel Leader Nick Clegg MP Image via Wikipedia

On another Lib Dem blog we read that

Today’s tuition fee vote is a milestone for the Liberal Democrat party. It is the first time the party has had to seriously consider the wisdom of a policy designed for permanent opposition from the perspective of government. Continue reading “The 27 betrayed their Party – Shame on them!”

Fairer Votes, Labour, Northern Ireland life1 Comment

Labour Yes to Fairer Votes campaign takes off

Michael McFarland Campbell

Today sees the launch of Labour Yes! – the Labour Party’s Yes to Fairer Votes Campaign, together with a well branded website in line with the main Yes! campaign website. One of the things that caught my eye was Get involved The Labour Yes Campaign is looking for volunteers to be Labour Yes Champions in every constituency in the UK. If you are interested in becoming the Champion for your area please email volunteer@labouryes.org.uk The Campaign will be organising campaign activity alongside regular Labour campaigning sessions. If you would like to talk to us about bringing Labour Yes volunteers to … Continue reading Labour Yes to Fairer Votes campaign takes off

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Lib Dems, Tuition FeesLeave a comment

Watch yourself Nick Clegg: the 104/103 haven’t done it – but I will!

Michael McFarland Campbell
Nick Clegg's pledge on Tuition Fees - Void if elected
The Rt Hon. Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, lies to the Electorate.

With the vote in the House of Commons on Tuition Fees approaching later this week, it is clear that most of the Liberal Democrats MPs are not going to stick to the pledges that they made

TO VOTE AGAINST
ANY INCREASE IN FEES
in the next parliament
and to pressure the
government to introduce
A FAIRER ALTERNATIVE.

As Gareth Epps said on Sunday,

I have heard rumours of at least one resignation from the Government, and think it in the interests of the Party and of higher education as a whole if this happens.  Continue reading “Watch yourself Nick Clegg: the 104/103 haven’t done it – but I will!”

APNI, Conservatives, DUP, Fairer Votes, Labour, Lib Dems, news, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland life, politics, SDLP, Sinn Féin, TUV, UUPLeave a comment

It’s a small change – but it will make a big difference

Michael McFarland Campbell

The most ambitious voter contact programme in British political history will be getting off the ground this weekend. The first wave of a total of 50 phonebanks will be open in cities across the United Kingdom. The cause
? The campaign for Yes to Fairer Votes for the Referendum on May 5th on the voting system used for Westminster elections. 140,000 already signed up Saturday 4th December will go down in history as the day it started. Already 140,000 people have signed up to help the campaign. I am proud to be one of them. This campaign truly is one from … Continue reading It’s a small change – but it will make a big difference

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Lib Dems, Tuition Fees9 Comments

Nick Clegg MP: no confidence from party?

Michael McFarland Campbell

Featured on Liberal Democrat Voice Candidates’ Petition to MPs On another blog I have highlighted the petition on tuition fees sent to the 57 Lib Dem MPs on tuition fees. In writing it, it struck me that we are getting to the stage that the public is ending up with no confidence in the party as a whole. Are we all as members losing confidence in the leadership of Nick Clegg? Nick Clegg made a pledge The photograph pictured here is just a simple reminder that Nick Clegg signed the pledge TO VOTE AGAINST ANY INCREASE IN FEES in the … Continue reading Nick Clegg MP: no confidence from party?

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Enniskillen, Fairer Votes, news, Northern Ireland life, politics, Sinn FéinLeave a comment

Court may not have ordered a re-run…

Michael McFarland Campbell

…but local campaigners are doing just that this Saturday The result in the General Election in Fermanagh & South Tyrone (FST) could hardly have been closer. Both Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Féin) and Rodney Connor (Independent) got 45.5% of the vote back in May. With 4 votes between them the result was taken to a costly electoral court. Would a vote using the Alternative Vote (AV) have made the result any clearer? Would it have made a difference? Stephen Glenn, Northern Ireland Organiser, and the Yes to  Fairer Votes team will be running a re-run* of the FST parliamentary election by … Continue reading Court may not have ordered a re-run…

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