Lib Dems have had 6 chances to oppose the Bedroom Tax – now they’ll have a 7th

The front page of the Daily Mirror this morning carries the news that Nick Clegg now opposes the Bedroom Tax – begging the question, with less than a year until election day, how stupid does he think we are? However, George Eaton at the New Statesman notes that Clegg’s position is a bit more wishy washy (how unlike him), noting that the Lib Dems technically want the Bedroom tax “reformed” rather than “axed”.

Yet the Lib Dems don’t appear to demure from the Daily Mirror’s headline, and their MPs were lining up to slam the Bedroom Tax last night, despite having voted for it.

In fact, there have already been at least six occasions when Nick Clegg and his party could have stopped the Bedroom Tax, but didn’t:

1. 2^nd reading- 9^th March 2011 – Welfare Reform Act 2012 Division 219: Clegg didn’t vote
2. 2^nd reading- 9^th March 2011 – Welfare Reform Act 2012 Division 220: Clegg didn’t vote
3. Report stage- 13^th June 2011 – Welfare Reform Act 2012 Division 288: Clegg didn’t vote
4. Report stage second- 15^th June 2011 – Welfare Reform Act 2012: Clegg didn’t vote
5. Third reading- 15^th June 2011 – Welfare Reform Act 2012: Clegg didn’t vote
6. Ian Lavery’s 10 min rule bill – 12^th February 2014: Clegg didn’t vote

But fortunately for the Lib Dems, who have discovered a newfound distaste for legislation they have consistently supported, Labour will be giving them a seventh chance to oppose the Bedroom Tax. Shadow DWP Secretary Rachel Reeves tweeted last night:

Labour will look to call a vote in parliament on the #bedroomtax. Lib Dems could cancel this cruel policy now by voting with Labour.

The bluff has been called – what will the Lib Dems do now? Well it seems they’ll try and wriggle out of it. Clegg has just told LBC that “we’re not binning the whole thing”…