David Willetts

In a Commons debate called by Conservatives last night, 63 Labour MPs voted against a motion on second chance education identical to an Early Day Motion they signed up to just weeks before.

211 MPs, including 86 Labour MPs, signed a cross party EDM expressing concern about the Government’s £100m cuts to second chance education, which will particularly affect part-time students and mothers returning to work. Last night, after an Opposition Day Debate called by the Conservatives, 63 of those Labour MPs voted with the Government, against exactly the same motion.  Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary, David Willetts, said: “The hypocrisy displayed here is breathtaking. These 63 Labour MPs were right to register their concerns at the £100m cuts in second chance education, which particularly affect part-time students and mothers returning to work. But in order to save the Government embarrassment they chose to vote against themselves.  “Their constituents will be very disappointed that they caved into the Labour whips instead of sticking to their guns.” 

Notes to Editors The following Labour MPs signed up to EDM 317 but then voted against the identical motion in the House of Commons last night: 

1.   Anderson, Janet   

2.   Austin, John  

3.   Battle, John  

4.   Campbell, Ronnie  

5.   Clapham, Michael  

6.   Clark, Katy  

7.   Connarty, Michael  

8.   Cruddas, Jon  

9.   Cryer, Ann  

10. Cunningham, Jim  

11. Curtis-Thomas, Claire  

12. Dean, Janet  

13. Dismore, Andrew  

14. Dobbin, Jim  

15. Doran, Frank  

16. Dowd, Jim  

17. Drew, David  

18. Etherington, Bill  

19. Field, Frank  

20. Flynn, Paul  

21. Francis, Hywel  

22. Gerrard, Neil  

23. Godsiff, Roger  

24. Hepburn, Stephen  

25. Heppell, John  

26. Heyes, David  

27. Hood, Jim  

28. Hoyle, Lindsay  

29. Jenkins, Brian  

30. Jones, Kevan  

31. Jones, Lynne  

32. Jones, Martyn  

33. Keeble, Sally  

34. Keen, Alan  

35. Kumar, Ashok  

36. Laxton, Bob  

37. Lloyd, Tony  

38. Love, Andrew  

39. McCafferty, Chris  

40. McCarthy, Kerry  

41. McKechin, Ann  

42. Meacher, Michael  

43. Meale, Alan  

44. Miller, Andrew  

45. Mitchell, Austin  

46. Mudie, George  

47. Murphy, Denis  

48. Naysmith, Doug  

49. Olner, Bill  

50. Owen, Albert  

51. Prosser, Gwyn  

52. Sheridan, Jim  

53. Singh, Marsha  

54. Skinner, Dennis  

55. Soulsby, Peter  

56. Strang, Gavin  

57. Turner, Desmond  

58. Vaz, Keith  

59. Vis, Rudi  

60. Walley, Joan  

61. Waltho, Lynda  

62. Williams, Betty  

63. Wright, Anthony D   

http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/EDMDetails.aspx?

EDMID=34435&SESSION=891 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080108/debtext/80108-0021.htm#0801095001118