Some Lib Dems were against tuition fee policy, admits Vince Cable

Published on 20/09/2012 12:42

SENIOR Lib Dems were sceptical about the party’s pledge to oppose rises in tuition fees, according to business secretary Vince Cable.

• Cable claims Danny Alexander warned Lib Dems over affordability of policy

• Business secretary admits he was “sceptical” but accepts “share of the responsibility”

Mr Cable admitted that Danny Alexander, now Chief Secretary to the Treasury, warned colleagues the policy was unaffordable should the party

find itself in government, but despite this senior MPs decided to press ahead with the idea aimed at wooing students.

Pressed by Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight last night, Mr Cable refused to leave leader Nick Clegg in the lurch, telling the programme he accepted collective responsibility for the policy.

His comments came after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he was sorry for ever promising to oppose any increase in university tuition

fees. But he did not apologise for supporting the policy itself once he had formed the coalition Government.

Last night Mr Cable insisted it was not just Nick Clegg who was apologising but the parliamentary party as a whole.

He said: “I was sceptical about the pledge but we agreed collectively to do it and I take my share of the responsibility.”