Don't Let the LibDems Off

Who says protesting never changes things? In the wake of Wednesday's mass actions around the country (see here, here, here, here to name but a few) the LibDems are looking decidedly wobbly in the face of mass student anger. After spending a week or so denying they had broken any promises, Lorely Burt was shuffled out on Wednesday night to say she and a number of colleagues are considering abstaining on the vote to increase tuition fees. With an eye to the dreadful polling figures and tumbling donations, Little Dave has been hinting he and Uncle Vince might abstain to save their political bacon too.

Short of injecting cement into the LibDems' spine and have them pull out of the coalition, the next best result is making sure LibDems vote against these regressive plans for the university sector. Abstaining is not good enough. Opting out lets them salve what's left of their consciences while doing bugger all to stop fee increases from going ahead. Simply put, an abstaining MP will not close the gap between votes for and against. It's a bit like saying "good luck" to fellow workers as you cross their picket line.

As Will Straw rightly notes, the abstention of every single LibDem MP will still see the legislation pass through parliament - except perhaps in the extremely unlikely event of Tory backbenchers having an attack of the vapours and voting with Lee Scott against the increases. With him in the bag and going by Will's figures, just 16 LibDems are now required to rebel against the provisions of the Coalition agreement.

The one thing all sections of the student movement agree on is the need to keep the pressure up on LibDem MPs. They need to realise in no uncertain terms that anything less than a vote against is tacit support, and that going with their precious agreement means they are sunk beyond the lifetime of this parliament. Targeted actions against LibDems, the whole avalanche of petitions, letters, office occupations and protests are already focusing their minds. Sustaining it could yield the 16 MPs needed to save higher education provision as is.