Finally Charles and I have something in common

Originally published @ 8:53 am, Fri 10th Dec 2010

Having chastised BBC presenters the day before, some praise for one of them today. On yesterday's breakfast, the man remarked upon Kevin Pietersen celebrating an Ashes test victory in Shane Warne's sports car - "at least we know he knows how to drive it". ""You mean he doesn't know how to drive it" retorted his female co-presenter. Right on. Jeremy Clarkson will be spitting.

The big news of course was the tuition fees debate in Parliament and the massive protests. BBC Newsnight started this coverage with biology students and a joke. “If an experiment is green, it’s biology. If it smells it’s chemistry. And if it doesn’t work, it’s physics.” Ouch. But it did get to fees.

State it simple, state it plain. Nick Clegg presented himself as the fresh approach to politics. Just revisit the optimism expressed in response to a power to the people speech - http://www.libdemvoice.org/power-revolution-nick-clegg-new-politics-speech-19604.html - with some chic graffiti graphics to emphasise his coolness.

He then did a deal for power and broke not just a manifesto promise, but a personal pledge that he signed. http://www.libdemvoice.org/julian-huppert-nick-cleggs-visit-to-cambridge-18103.html Again, the optimism fizzes off the page – “The turnout was huge – we overflowed the meeting room that was prepared for us. As we walked in, it was clear that there was a great energy in the room. … Nick gave a very clear statement of party policy – we oppose tuition fees, and aim to scrap them for all first degrees. It was great to hear Nick say clearly that he had always opposed such fees, fitting perfectly with my own views. He then went on to explain the economic circumstances, and how it would take six years to scrap fees completely – but that everyone would benefit from day one. … Incidentally, after the meeting was over, Nick and I both signed the NUS pledge ‘I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative’, and took commemorative photos with … the President of Cambridge University Student Union.”

Some gentle surfing this morning soon finds some experienced Lib Dems resigning membership - http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-richard-huzzey-i-resign-22345.html - and a Nott’m City Councillor reducing his membership to the minimum - http://www.alexfoster.me.uk/2010/12/09/my-letter-to-cowley-street/

Violence on the streets - don't yer just know that the Conservatives are back in power.

The debate in Parliament was reported as good (debateable) and packed (it wasn't, but I imagine cos many MPs were meeting delegations).

The deadline of the debate did mean some more details came out (so perhaps we know need a debate on EMA), but not that many - we still don't understand how it is that more private finance might be found to support the students most in need.

Overwhelming was the concern about the damaging perception of carrying up to 40,000 pounds of debt. Associated was impact on social mobility. An interesting point was that the changes that mean the re-financing is done in a more progress way (higher thresholds) could be applied irrespective of the scale of fee. Some speakers explored the paradox of a ConDem coalition bearing down on deficit, but introducing a scheme that increases the deficit in the short and medium terms.

Unfortunately, none of this has been focussed on in the media coverage because of the violence and because of the incidents with the Royal car. Finally, Charles and I have something in common - we've both been taken away from public events in a Police Maria for our own safety. (1982, 10 Salop fans needed to be taken to the railway station from Leicester's Filbert Street ground).

That photo of Camilla is a bit unfortunate cos eye-witnesses reported her being more assured than the photo portrays and although I'm not a fan, I'd got the impression she was pretty robust. (I can't believe, like a BBC reporter does, that "off with they're heads" would be regarded as anything other than a satirical reference that members of the Royal Family have been teased with for centuries.)

Now it may be that the police have got questions to answer, as commentators have rather stuffily pronounced this morning. But it seems to me harsh that the Police are to blame for the violence. I've no doubt the Police are reviewing what worked and what didn't, I hope the Police explore to what extent plans to "kettle" might provide a focus for violence. The Police have clearly been refining the way they work over the recent series of London protests and hopefully they can work on giving protestors a different focus to their protests than the barriers that say the demo can go no further. Tricky, cos some protestors, with 3 inch thick placards (that seemed to work like shields), clearly came prepared for some battles.

Meanwhile, for the protestors, the majority will be wondering what happened to all their plaintive concerns which have received little coverage this morning. It is remarkable how many of the protestors are students in sixth form and F.E. My experience of a fairly quickly organised demo on EMA in Nottingham a couple of weeks ago that the protestors are genuine, very inexperienced in politics and wanting change if not for themselves, but for their friends. Some of them were reported last night, expressing concern that they were being perceived as violent when they plainly aren't. It’s clear to me from recent events that it’s time to give sixteen year-olds, who can pay tax and get married, the right to vote.

The pledges the Conservatives gave in the General Election were very clear. EMA was not at risk. There was no doubts about the benefit not being sufficiently targeted expressed back then.

Michael Gove: Ed Balls keeps saying that we are committed to scrapping the EMA. I have never said this. We won't.

Michael Gove, Q&A The Guardian, 2 March 2010

We’ve looked at Educational Maintenance Allowances and we haven’t announced any plan to get rid of them. … no we don’t have any plans to get rid of them.

David Cameron, ‘Cameron Direct’, 6 January 2010