MP defends abstention (From Gazette Series)

MP defends abstention

STROUD MP David Drew has hit back at claims that he broke an election pledge by not voting against the introduction of university top-up fees.

Opposition parties have attacked the decision of Labour MPs not to oppose the controversial Higher Education Bill that would allow universities to charge students £3,000-a-year, payable when they earn £15,000.

The Bill was backed by 316 votes to 311 on Tuesday, after days of intense campaigning by both sides.

A spokesman for South Gloucestershire Conservatives said that, in not opposing the vote, Mr Drew was one of those who had not kept an election manifesto promise to oppose the introduction of top-up fees.

"I am absolutely appalled that local MPs have broken their manifesto promise," he added. "They were elected on a clear pledge that they would oppose top-up fees and now they have failed to vote against them."

Mr Drew was one of 19 Labour MPs to abstain.

He told the Gazette the Conservative claims were "nonsense".

"I abstained rather than voted against the Bill as I did think it has been blown out of proportion and did not warrant a vote of confidence," he said.

"We have to try and get some way of funding higher education fairly. I do want to get away from the notion of variable top-up fees. The Tories do not have a policy and the Lib Dems have not funded theirs.

"It's time to be realistic. There is a £10 billion shortfall in finding for higher education and this move should put back £1 billlion, but will not start until 2006."