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| Disagree with Nick Clegg, but let’s stick to the facts | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| I am disappointed that, in her desire to paint Nick Clegg in the worst light, Susan Talbot (Letters, 7 September) does not give the whole story about her daughter’s student debt. She sets out the total debt of £53,817 but fails to inform readers that her daughter did not have to pay anything for tuition fees during the years of her studies and, with annual earnings of £9,964, she will not have to pay a penny off the loan until she is earning more than twice this figure. Even then the payment is relatively small. Finally Ms Talbot says that the state should “write off the debts”. But, in fact, any debt remaining after 30 years is written off. | I am disappointed that, in her desire to paint Nick Clegg in the worst light, Susan Talbot (Letters, 7 September) does not give the whole story about her daughter’s student debt. She sets out the total debt of £53,817 but fails to inform readers that her daughter did not have to pay anything for tuition fees during the years of her studies and, with annual earnings of £9,964, she will not have to pay a penny off the loan until she is earning more than twice this figure. Even then the payment is relatively small. Finally Ms Talbot says that the state should “write off the debts”. But, in fact, any debt remaining after 30 years is written off. |
| What matters far more than the amount of tuition fees is what the student has to pay during and after his or her studies. The Liberal Democrat policy in government seems to me to be a pretty good deal. By all means attack Nick Clegg, but make sure the full facts are stated.Michael MeadowcroftLeeds | What matters far more than the amount of tuition fees is what the student has to pay during and after his or her studies. The Liberal Democrat policy in government seems to me to be a pretty good deal. By all means attack Nick Clegg, but make sure the full facts are stated.Michael MeadowcroftLeeds |
| • As a long-term member of the Liberal Democrats, I feel insulted to be described by Polly Toynbee (Why I can’t forgive Clegg, 6 September) as a “useful idiot”. It does not help rebuild the party when commentators ignore the many members like myself who were never happy with Nick Clegg’s leadership, and write us all off as if we were uncritical fans of him. | • As a long-term member of the Liberal Democrats, I feel insulted to be described by Polly Toynbee (Why I can’t forgive Clegg, 6 September) as a “useful idiot”. It does not help rebuild the party when commentators ignore the many members like myself who were never happy with Nick Clegg’s leadership, and write us all off as if we were uncritical fans of him. |
| When she says “social equality is not in their DNA” she ignores that phrase, taken from the Liberal party’s constitution as the core of what we are about: “None shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.” I was one of those Liberals who fought for that phrase to be maintained in the merged party’s constitution against the SDP (membership including Polly Toynbee), who considered it a mark of the lefty Liberals they disliked. | When she says “social equality is not in their DNA” she ignores that phrase, taken from the Liberal party’s constitution as the core of what we are about: “None shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.” I was one of those Liberals who fought for that phrase to be maintained in the merged party’s constitution against the SDP (membership including Polly Toynbee), who considered it a mark of the lefty Liberals they disliked. |
| I argued against electing Clegg as leader, both because he showed a clear bias toward the economic right of the party, and because he had little experience of grassroots campaigning. | I argued against electing Clegg as leader, both because he showed a clear bias toward the economic right of the party, and because he had little experience of grassroots campaigning. |
| The media consistently ignored our points, and pushed Clegg as “obviously the next leader of the Lib Dems” because they seemed to think that someone with his sort of elite background was obviously superior to anyone who had risen through the ranks of the party. That includes the Guardian, so I suggest that Polly Toynbee throws her insults at those responsible for the paper’s backing of Clegg in the leadership election, which was probably the key factor in swinging the support he needed to win.Matthew HuntbachLondon | The media consistently ignored our points, and pushed Clegg as “obviously the next leader of the Lib Dems” because they seemed to think that someone with his sort of elite background was obviously superior to anyone who had risen through the ranks of the party. That includes the Guardian, so I suggest that Polly Toynbee throws her insults at those responsible for the paper’s backing of Clegg in the leadership election, which was probably the key factor in swinging the support he needed to win.Matthew HuntbachLondon |
| • I find Polly Toynbee’s assertion that she can never forgive Nick Clegg’s failure to secure PR a bit harsh. Following Labour’s landslide victory in 1997, I congratulated a newly elected Labour MP on the result, saying: “All you need to do now is bring in PR and Tories will never again wield overall power.” Her breathless response? “Oh but we have far more important things to do now.”John JonesKilbride, Isle of Skye | • I find Polly Toynbee’s assertion that she can never forgive Nick Clegg’s failure to secure PR a bit harsh. Following Labour’s landslide victory in 1997, I congratulated a newly elected Labour MP on the result, saying: “All you need to do now is bring in PR and Tories will never again wield overall power.” Her breathless response? “Oh but we have far more important things to do now.”John JonesKilbride, Isle of Skye |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |