You are here: Home » Comment »

Cowards

June 13, 2012 11:38 am

Author:

Tags:

Share this Article

Abstaining on Jeremy Hunt tells you all you need to know about the Lib Dems, their lack of conviction, and their lack of power in government.

They’re behaving like cowards.

Update: It has been pointed out that this is the 2005-2010 Lib Dems, rather than the current “vintage”. If you’ve got a picture of the 2010 Lib Dem MPs – let us know.

Related posts:

  1. Whilst cowards flinch and traitors sneer…
  • http://twitter.com/robertsjonathan Jonathan Roberts

    Abstaining is most definitely the cowards way out, not just in this case but almost any.

    MPs are elected to make decisions – not not make decisions is to not do the job the people have asked you to do. 

    The real question is how many will break ranks and vote with Labour.  That will give you a real understanding of the state of the LDs within the coalition.

    • http://twitter.com/RF_McCarthy Roger McCarthy

      Agree that this seems the worst possible choice for Clegg – a free vote would probably still have saved Hunt (at least for now).

      But who knows what deal has been struck behind closed doors – if Osborne’s card has truly been marked there may well be intense pressure on Cameron to replace him with Cable as the only member of the cabinet who retains any credibility whatsoever – and this may be just the opening of that dance.

      • postageincluded

        Is this a joke too subtle for my porcine understanding, Roger, or do you really think that Cameron would sack his chum and move Cable into Number 11?

        Personally, I’d find such a turn of events almost as gobsmacking as when Gordon made up with Mandy, and I still find myself puzzling (and laughing) over that exotic event even now.

  • Guest

    Love the way that is an old pre-2010 picture…

  • JS

    I think you should wait for the vote before using such strong language. After all, they are only being whipped to abstain and still may rebel. Perhaps you should have written an article more encouraging them to rebel.

    I do not think Labour backbench MPs have covered themselves in glory in the past when whipped to vote. Oh damn, I have got to say it – IRAQ!! Yes, the most cowardly vote ever.

    • Redshift

      Erm, Tony Blair only won that vote because of the Tories – Despite the result, it is actually an example of a very large rebellion against the whip. 

      • JS

         No, not only because of the Tories. It took many Labour votes as well. There may have been a good number of rebellious votes but there should have been a landslide.

    • http://twitter.com/RF_McCarthy Roger McCarthy

      The proper thing is indeed to wait for the vote and then photoshop in the actual guilty men and women. 

      And as for Iraq I think both those who followed and those who defied the whip were with the odd obvious exception acting from conviction – not something one can always say for our politicians.  

      But what’s  the use – there really are none so blind as those who will not see….

      • JS

         ”both those who followed and those who defied the whip were … acting from conviction”

        (Sigh, of regret) – how I wish I could believe that.

    • Mike Murray

      The government won the vote on Labour’s motion to refer Hunt by 38. So where were all those Lib Dem rebels?  One thing I know about the Lib Dem stooges: you can always rely on them to let you down. 

  • James

    To be honest I think Liberal Democrat support for the Welfare Reform Bill, which will cause immense misery and many premature deaths amongst the needy and the vulnerable, is infinitely worse than turning a blind eye as it were to Jeremy Cun… whoops!… sorry… I mean Jeremy Hunt’s partiality and advocacy as per the Murdoch clan. 

  • Mike Murray

    Not just cowards but political morons.  By unreservedly supporting Hunt  they would have earned the undying gratitude of their coalition partners: by supporting Labour they would have regained the respect for their integrity. So what do the Liberal Democrat stooges do? They decide to abstain: thus confirming the public’s view that the only decisive thing they ever do is determine to sit on the fence. Reminds me of the old Spike Milligan joke :  ‘One day the don’t knows are going to win: and then where will we be?

  • Brumanuensis

    ‘The Liberal Democrats: Boldly Abstaining from the Front’, doesn’t have a very inspiring ring to it.

  • Robertcp

    Abstaining in a vote on a government colleague is the most that the Lib Dems could do.  Labour MPs spent 13 years voting for awful policies.  We should get off our high horse

Latest

  • Featured Becoming a Living Wage City – an ambition worth having

    Becoming a Living Wage City – an ambition worth having

    By Ian Stewart

    A cleaner met me on the corridor the other day as I was leaving the office and gave me a huge hug. “Thank you, City Mayor,” she told me “that’s been the best news for years.” After I had recovered from my embarrassment, I realised what she was talking about. Salford had just introduced the full Living Wage – becoming the first local authority in Greater Manchester to implement a full Living Wage of £7.45 for every member of staff [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment Planning the revolution – Labour and the Spending Review

    Planning the revolution – Labour and the Spending Review

    By David Robinson

    In four weeks time the Chancellor will announce the results of the 2015 spending Review. There won’t be many winners but some will have lost more than others. Political commentators and discussion forums will pass judgement and public sector managers will, yet again, pick through the debris, making do and mending from what ever they can salvage. Before we get overtaken by the detail we should reflect on the bigger picture. What ever the chancellor says on June 26th it [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment A call for action at the G8

    A call for action at the G8

    By Ivan Lewis

    In less than a month’s time, the UK hosts the G8 Summit. With hunger, tax, trade and transparency all on the agenda, the UK has a unique opportunity to show global leadership on these issues. The scale of hunger is devastating. There is enough food in the world for everyone, yet 1 billion people still go hungry. 2.3 million children every year die from malnutrition – to put that in perspective, that is around 16,000 children every day. Or one [...]

    Read more →
  • News TUC suggests Football World Cup vote should be re-run – Media roundup: May 24th, 2013

    TUC suggests Football World Cup vote should be re-run – Media roundup: May 24th, 2013

    Subscribers to our morning email get the best of LabourList – including the Media and blog round up – every weekday morning. If you were a subscriber you would have already received this in your inbox. You can sign up here. TUC suggests Football World Cup vote should be re-run “The TUC along with its international equivalent – the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) – is calling on UEFA to address the appalling treatment of workers and players in Qatar and [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured A Northern Tory that Labour should be afraid of

    A Northern Tory that Labour should be afraid of

    By Mark Ferguson

    The Labour Party spends a great deal of time beating itself up over its performance in Southern England. We know it simply isn’t good enough, but we can’t seem to put our finger on why exactly that’s the case. Is it demographics? No. Culture? Perhaps. Lack of basic party organisation in some areas? It’s certainly a factor. But whilst we’re flagellating ourselves over our inability to perform south of the Watford gap (outside of London), we should remember that the [...]

    Read more →