TOP LIB DEM, GREG FOXSMITH, SLAMS CLEGG ‘BETRAYAL’
After fees U-turn ‘why should anyone believe anything you say’
Published: 19 November, 2010
by PETER GRUNER
ONE of Islington’s most respected Lib Dem councillors has publicly accused his national party leader, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, of “betrayal”, in the war over plans to increase student tuition fees.
Councillor Greg Foxsmith, the Town Hall’s former Lib Dem environment chief, broke ranks with colleagues locally by condemning Mr Clegg for changing his mind over university fees now that he is in a Coalition government with the Conservatives.
A human rights lawyer and father-of-two, Cllr Foxsmith attacked Mr Clegg’s plan to increase tuition fees from £3,290 to £9,000 annually, which sparked last week’s student riots in London.
In the run-up to the election last May, Mr Clegg signed a Lib Dem pledge that he would not increase tuition fees.
At the same time it has been reported that, two months before the general election, the Lib Dems were drawing up plans to abandon Mr Clegg’s flagship policy to scrap fees, in the event of their joining a coalition. Cllr Foxsmith said: “I will be among those who will be campaigning for the party to stick to its election promises. Although the Labour Party in government had twice broken their manifesto promises on student fees, that is no excuse for the Lib Dems to do the same.
“In fact, when you go into an election promising to be straight with people you have to honour that. It is going to be difficult for Mr Clegg, and those in the Coalition, to keep their credibility.
“I actually think there are more important issues than tuition fees,” he said. “It is all to do with credibility and honesty. You sign a pledge where you make a manifesto commitment and you have to stick with it. Otherwise, why should anyone believe you on anything else you say?”
“Labour breached so many of their commitments over the years – it was one of the reasons why I and others stopped supporting them. I expect, in fact I demand, a high standard from the Lib Dem leadership. I only represent a small ward in Islington, but when I made my election pledges in 2006 I kept them all. I don’t see why anyone else should be different, whether they are deputy Prime Minister, MP or councillor.”
Islington North Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn said: “I have a lot of sympathy for genuine, honest Lib Dems like Greg Foxsmith, who campaigns for social justice and legal aid.
“As for the Lib Dem meeting before the election, I think it was a cynical manoeuvre that helps to bring politics further and further into disrepute.”