Scottish MPs to swing tuition fees vote for Blair


SCOTTISH MPs could come to Tony Blair’s rescue after a survey revealed most are planning to vote on English university tuition fees.

Of the 57 Scottish MPs who responded to a survey for BBC Scotland’s Sunday Live show, 44 MPs indicated they would definitely vote on the issue - despite the fact the proposed top-up fees will only directly affect students in England and Wales.

The poll found the majority of Labour MPs will vote for the Government, swinging the question of tuition fees - one of the most serious divisions to threaten Tony Blair since 1997 - in the Prime Minister’s favour.



What do you think ? Blairs Puppets or Visionary Reactionists ?

Personally i have no problem with it, its one back on England for determining the running our country against the wishes of the people, an eye for an eye. (We dont have the top up fee in Scotland and this vote will not affect us, however we will be deciding on a english student futures that ultimatley has no relevance to Scotland)

I don't think that Scottish MPs should be allowed to vote on purely English issues. The whole point of devolution was to allow Scottish/Welsh representatives to vote on their own issues. That should be reciprocated for England.

As for it being "one back on England", it's also "one back on Wales". Care to justify that?

As for it being "an eye for an eye", for christ sake grow up. If the whole Scottish nation was so up in arms about "England...running our country against the wishes of the people", why have the Scottish electorate never voted for independence? Never have. Never will.

And in answer to your direct question - they are Blair's Puppets. This is all about them currying favour in the hope of getting promotions next time round.

Oh, by the way, I'm Scottish.

Commonly known as the West Lothian question this debate has raged for years, its impact exacerbated by devolution of course. It's how B.Liar got foundation hospitals voted through too. It's not going to be stopped by Labour, they have 95% of the M.P.s in Scotland so not in their interests. Unfair, definitely.

Venison Weird spouted:
I don't think that Scottish MPs should be allowed to vote on purely English issues. The whole point of devolution was to allow Scottish/Welsh representatives to vote on their own issues. That should be reciprocated for England.

I completely agree.

If they can vote on our issues I would like our MP's to vote on theirs.

It's not purelt an English issue, its also a Welsh issue.The reason Scottish MP's may feel that they are entitiled to have a vote is that a large number of Scottish students go to English and Welsh Universities and there are knock on effects from the tuition fee outcome on citizen's of Scotland. Like it or not we are still part of Britain and if people are denied their right to influence a decision that profoundly effects them then I believe that is wrong. I recognise this should work both ways.

Issac The West Lothian question is actually mainly about the disproportionate representation of Scottish MP's at the UK parliament. We have a far lower population per MP than the English. Tam Dalziel believes this is wrong and any sane person would agree. I agree though, a Labour Govt will never recind this policy as long as it is the major seat taker in Scotland.

I was watching newsnight last night and it was interesting to see how Tony Blair was trying to justify his standpoint. He pointed out that there were other countries in the developed world which were achieveing his 50% target of participation. Scotland was his major example. What he neglected to say was that the participation in Scottish Uni's is higher because it is free and paid entirely out of our block grant.

Did any of the Scottish MP's reveal if they were voting for or against the government??? Could be their number is quite high within the Rebels

with your points in mind, there must be English Students who go to Scottish Universities?

The 50% target for uni students is the real bone of contention here. Why 50%. I'm not saying make unis more elitist but I'm with the Tories on this one. Scrap the mickey mouse subjects, hike up the qualification for uni standards and voila!! You have a lot less students, but better quality ones. You save shitloads of dough, dough which can be spent subsidising students from lower income homes.

There are only a handful of decent unis in the uk anyway... most of them are sheeeiiiite. I agree with scrapping mickey mouse subjects. And shit unis.

Venison Weird spouted:

As for it being "one back on England", it's also "one back on Wales". Care to justify that?

As for it being "an eye for an eye", for christ sake grow up. If the whole Scottish nation was so up in arms about "England...running our country against the wishes of the people", why have the Scottish electorate never voted for independence? Never have. Never will.



I worded it that way in order to get some reaction, to raise some heckles, nationalism is all very 'pretendy' anyway. At the end of the day it doesnt really matter where the vote is coming from, its been a history of politics in general, the tories use the ulster mps, labour the scottish mps, when they need to swing a vote. They will get it through though, they cant afford to show Blair as losing his grip. Its the long term effects on further education in general that is a worrying factor, social exclusion and debt being the obvious ones, inflexibility with career choice being another. And how many of us who graduated in the last 10 years have that 30000 and Company Car job , none ? thought so, that appears to be more the reality.

Salsa. Yea English Students do go to Scottish Universities you're right. I think that they should probably have a say too. The question regards the proportion of a say.

Say 20% of Scottish Students go to English Universities perhaps the Scottish vote should count 20%???

Unfortunately we don't have a mechanism for the English and Welsh to have a say in devolved Scottish matters that effect them. Perhaps we should?

well they did it on the first round of voting but only with a 5 vote margin, damn eyes to the left !!!! I hope when it goes to the house of lords for reading they shoot it down quicker than a spaniard with a shotgun shooting migratory birds.

Back to the issue at hand

Scottish MPs should NOT vote on purely Eng lish and Welsh matters, they have their Parliament, the Welsh have their assembly so England (whether as a whole or as regions) should also have its own Parliament where Scottish, Welsh and Ulster MPs are not admitted.

But its just what Newvrovski says above. While a majority of Sottish MPs are voting with the Government, the Government won't change it. Its politics, not principles.