Today the Lib Dems have an opportunity to vote against the Bedroom Tax. There’s no sign they’ll take it

As we noted yesterday, Tim Farron’s belated conversion to opposing the Bedroom Tax means he and Nick Clegg have missed at least six opportunities to oppose the destructive measure.

However, today the yellows have an opportunity to turn their rhetoric into votes. Here’s the ‘Regret Motion’ that Shadow DWP Minister, Baroness (Maeve) Sherlock is moving in the Lords today:

Baroness Sherlock to move that this House regrets that the Housing Benefit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 are being introduced without Her Majesty’s Government’s full understanding of the numbers of those affected; regrets that confusion and uncertainty are being added to an already unjust policy; deplores that Her Majesty’s Government’s mishandling has resulted in households being unlawfully charged and further pushed into hardship; and regrets the likely disproportionate impact of the Regulations on the most vulnerable (SI 2014/212).

There’s no sign yet the Lib Dem peers are going to back this motion and put their votes where their hot air is. However, if there are any rebels, will this reveal where the “Farronists” are amongst the Lib Dem peers? The vote is expected at around 2.30 – worth keeping an eye on…

Update: A measly 2 Lib Dem peers rebelled against their party whip and opposed the Bedroom Tax. That’s far fewer than the 13 who rebelled on the original vote. Lib Dem peers were whipped to oppose Labour’s anti-Bedroom Tax motion, so Lib Dem opposition to the Bedroom Tax lasted only one day.

Update: Here are the 46 Lib Dem peers that voted in favour of the Bedroom Tax today (remember, only 2 Lib Dem peers opposed it). The vote was defeated by just 15 votes, so if the Lib Dems had kept their promise and opposed the Bedroom Tax, the motion would have passed today:

Addington, Lord
Allan of Hallam, Lord
Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, Lord
Barker, Baroness
Benjamin, Baroness
Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury, Baroness
Bradshaw, Lord
Chidgey, Lord
Dholakia, Lord
Doocey, Baroness
Dykes, Lord
Falkner of Margravine, Baroness
Garden of Frognal, Baroness
German, Lord
Grender, Baroness
Hamwee, Baroness
Humphreys, Baroness
Kramer, Baroness
Lee of Trafford, Lord
Linklater of Butterstone, Baroness
Maddock, Baroness
Manzoor, Baroness
Newby, Lord
Northover, Baroness
Paddick, Lord
Palmer of Childs Hill, Lord
Parminter, Baroness
Purvis of Tweed, Lord
Randerson, Baroness
Roberts of Llandudno, Lord
Rodgers of Quarry Bank, Lord
Roper, Lord
Sharkey, Lord
Sharp of Guildford, Baroness
Shutt of Greetland, Lord
Stoneham of Droxford, Lord
Suttie, Baroness
Teverson, Lord
Thomas of Gresford, Lord
Tope, Lord
Tyler of Enfield, Baroness
Tyler, Lord
Wallace of Saltaire, Lord
Wallace of Tankerness, Lord
Walmsley, Baroness
Willis of Knaresborough, Lord

Update: Tim Farron is attempting to ‘reverse-ferret’ his way out of trouble after Lib Dem peers voted FOR the Bedroom Tax just one day after he pledged the party would be AGAINST it. This afternoon Farron tweeted:

“My job is to be the voice of the parties grass roots. I’m sorry but the Guardian headline gave me powers i did not have.”

Lets remember that crucial quote from yesterday again:

“The bedroom tax causes huge social problems and distorts the market – we as a party cannot support this.”

The Guardian didn’t put those words in his mouth. They were his. Watching him u-turn is so unedifying…