Tuition Fees
Debate between Vince Cable and Shabana Mahmood(13 years, 11 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Shabana Mahmood (Birmingham, Ladywood) (Lab)
The Secretary of State is obviously having a difficult time answering questions about his policy in any detail. Let us try a straightforward question—yes or no. Is he going to vote for it? [Interruption.]
Vince Cable
Thanks to the shouting of the hon. Lady’s colleagues, I could not hear a word she said. Would she like to repeat the question?
Shabana Mahmood
I am happy to repeat the question. The right hon. Gentleman is obviously having a difficult time answering any questions about this policy. I am asking a straightforward question—yes or no. Is he going to vote for it?
Vince Cable
I have made it absolutely clear in all the interviews that I have given today that my wish and strong inclination is to vote for a policy that I believe in passionately—[Interruption.] This is a policy that I believe in. It is a significantly better policy than I inherited. It is right.
The hon. Lady knows, because it operates in her party as well as in mine and in the Conservative party, that decisions on who votes are taken collectively. We will take a collective decision—[Interruption.] The hon. Lady asked me a question. I am trying to give her an answer. [Interruption.] Does the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull East (Karl Turner) want an answer or not? We will make a decision based upon the coalition agreement as it affects my colleagues and our Conservative coalition partners. That is how we will vote, and we will do it in a disciplined way, but my own views are clear. [Interruption.] This is a significant—
Vince Cable
No, I will not give way again. I have answered the question.
We will decide how we are going to approach the matter, under the coalition agreement. I am clear that the policy is significantly better than the one that we inherited. I am responsible for it and I have every intention of continuing to promote it.