Top-up fees vote - shame-faced Scots Labour MPs give Blair his majority

Commenting on the result of the vote in the House of Commons on Amendment 128 to the Higher Education Bill against variable top-up fees – which was lost by 316 votes to 288 – the Scottish National Party’s Westminster Education Spokesperson Ms Annabelle Ewing MP said:

“Tony’s shame-faced ‘tartan lobby fodder’ of Scottish Labour MPs gave the Government their majority in this key vote – just like last time round.

“With the honourable exception of Tam Dalyell – the Rector of Edinburgh University – who opposed the Government, not one Scottish Labour MP had the decency to turn up for the debate to listen to the compelling arguments against top-up fees.

“They were too guilt ridden and shame-faced to show their faces during the debate – and then 47 of them slinked into the Chamber to vote with the Government, and against the Scottish interest.

“Top-up fees only went through because of ‘Tony’s Tartan lobby fodder’ – and the incompetent solo Scots Tory MP, Peter Duncan.

“47 Scots Labour MPs voted to shore up a discredited Prime Minister, and against Scotland – with only 2 voting the right way.

“And yet again, Peter Duncan sat on his hands and did nothing when Scottish interests were on the line.

“Labour and the Tories are equally discredited in the eyes of the Scottish electorate.

“The needs of Scottish higher education required top-up fees to be voted down – Scottish Labour and the Tory have sold Scotland out. For that, they will now face the wrath of the Scottish electorate.

“No matter how the pill is sugared south of the Border, variable top-up fees in England will be bad for Scotland, by creating a funding shortfall for Scottish higher education.”

Note:

47 Scots Labour MPs voted with the Government.
2 Scots Labour MPs voted against the Government (Tam Dalyell and Ian Davidson)
4 Scots Labour abstained (Michael Connarty, Robin Cook, Jimmy Hood, and Gavin Strang)
1 Scots Tory MP abstained (Peter Duncan)
1 Labour MP is absent - Jimmy Wray

5 SNP MPs voted against the Government
10 Scots Lib Dems voted against
George Galloway voted against


In total, 18 Scottish MPs voted for the amendment
- 5 SNP, 10 LibDems, 1 Independent (Galloway), 2 Labour

6 Abstained
- 5 Labour and 1 Tory (Peter Duncan)

47 Voted Against
- All Labour

Therefore, Scottish MPs voted in favour of the Government by a majority of 29 – the Government’s overall majority was 28.

(The Speaker is not included)