They Shouldn’t Have Voted For Us If They Wanted Us To Keep Promises

Posted by GregB on November 11, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Nick Clegg has admitted he “should have been more careful” about signing anything that could get him in power particularly the pre-election pledge to oppose any increase in tuition fees.

He told ITV1’s Daybreak “at the time I thought I could do it, fool the nation that is”.

The Lib Dem leader and deputy PM said compromises had had to be made as part of the coalition deal.

But he added the planned changes were better than the existing fees regime and would help generations of “poor bright kids” not achieve a place at a university.

Mr Clegg’s comments came the day after a protest in central London against the proposal to raise the cap on annual fees charged by English universities to £9,000.

Student leaders say about 50,000 people took part in the protest, which became violent, with 35 arrests and 14 injuries, after the office complex which houses the Conservative Party HQ was stormed.

Before joining the Conservatives in a coalition after the general election, the Lib Dems had pledged to phase out tuition fees altogether over six years.

Many of the party’s MPs, including Mr Clegg, signed a National Union of Students pledge not to vote for higher fees if re-elected in May.

“I guess what I meant to sign was an agreement to get rid of students over a six year period. I think all those students misunderstood my real message. You cannot blame me or my party for saying anything to try and get in to power.”

Looking rather worried he also added, ” We quite honestly would have sold Vince Cable’s arse on Clapham Common if it meant I could get my foot across the Downing Street threshold.” Mr Clegg confirmed whilst taking a quick drag on his cigarette before setting alight to other election pledges in his office dustbin.