PARENTS SAY MPS WHO BROKE TUITON FEES PLEDGE SHOULD NOT STAND FOR ELECTION AGAIN, NUS/YOUGOV POLL SHOWS

•  58% PARENTS WITH CHILDREN AGED 18 AND UNDER SAY MPS WHO BROKE NUS’ TUITION FEES PLEDGE SHOULD NOT STAND AT THE 2015 GENERAL ELECTION
• 45% THINK MPS WHO BROKE PLEDGE SHOULD RESIGN
• 62% WOULD NOT VOTE FOR AN MP WHO BROKE THIS PLEDGE
• JUST 18% BELIEVE MPS WHO BROKE PLEDGE HAD A HARD DECISION SO SHOULD BE FORGIVEN, DESPITE CLEGG ‘APOLOGY’

More than half (58%) of parents with children aged 18 and under say MPs who broke a pledge they signed in 2010 to vote against increasing tuition fees and to support a fairer model of funding education should not stand at the 2015 general election, a new poll shows.

The National Union of Students (NUS) and YouGov poll released today also shows that nearly half of parents with children aged 18 and under (45%) think MPs who broke this pledge should resign, while more than six in ten (62%) would not vote for an MP who broke this pledge.

The poll results coincides with today’s NUS demonstration ‘Educate, Employ, Empower’ in Central London to protest at the shutting down of opportunity for the next generation and to call for investment in education and employment.

More than half (52%) parents with children aged 18 and under disagreed with the statement “MPs who broke the pledge had a hard decision to make and should be forgiven”, and just one in five (18%) agreed, despite a video ‘apology’ issued by Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg in September.

Just one in six (16%) parents said those MPs who broke the pledge were in difficult circumstances and so were right to have done so.

Liam Burns, NUS President said:

“Nick Clegg won the trust and votes of young people and their parents by signing the pledge, but has now lost them once and for all by breaking it.

“Most parents would like to see him and every other MP who broke the pledge go before they can do any more harm to the next generation.

“As students gather in London today to demand investment in education and employment, the countdown to the next general election has already begun.

“Many MPs of all party colours kept their promise, but those MPs who broke their pledge cannot wriggle their way out. They are living out their electoral lives on borrowed time.”

Notes:

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2025 adults of which 478 were parents with children aged 18 and under. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14 - 16 November 2012. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

Today (Wednesday 21 November) students from around the country are gathering together in London to demonstrate against the impact of the government’s austerity agenda on students. For details on #Demo2012 go to www.demo2012.org.uk. ‘Educate. Employ. Empower’

Liberal Democrat MPs who broke the pledge by voting for: Danny Alexander, Norman Baker, Sir Alan Beith, Gordon Birtwistle, Tom Brake, Jeremy Browne, Malcolm Bruce, Paul Burstow, Vincent Cable, Alistair Carmichael, Nick Clegg, Edward Davey, Lynne Featherstone, Don Foster, Stephen Gilbert, Duncan Hames, Nick Harvey, David Heath, John Hemming, Norman Lamb, David Laws, Michael Moore, Andrew Stunell, Jo Swinson, Sarah Teather, David Ward, Steve Webb.

Liberal Democrat MPs who broke the pledge by abstaining: Lorely Burt, Simon Hughes, Tessa Munt, Sir Robert Smith, John Thurso, Stephen Williams, Chris Huhne(at climate summit in Mexico), Martin Horwood(at climate summit in Mexico)