Helen Duffett

End of term report for Lib Dem MPs’ Class of 2010

By | Sat 16th July 2011 - 10:51 am

As the House of Commons rises this Tuesday, the BBC’s Gavin Stamp gives new MPs of all parties his end-of-term report.

Here’s what he has to say about the new Lib Dem intake:

New entrants were small in number but still accounted for almost one in six of the Parliamentary party.

No new MPs made it into the ranks of ministers or were asked to head up a series of backbench committees designed to help the party retain an independent voice on issues outside the coalition.

However, Gordon Birtwhistle and Duncan Hames became parliamentary private secretaries, the latter also finding time to speak in 134 debates.

Others seemingly marked out for advancement were Tessa Munt and Stephen Gilbert, who were named as internal party whips responsible for enforcing discipline.

Discontent with the party leadership over the coalition has tended to come from established MPs.

But the Lib Dem rebellion over student tuition fees was on a different scale to anything seen in the party in recent decades. New MPs Julian Huppert, Stephen Lloyd, Ian Swales and Simon Wright all felt strongly enough to vote against the fees rise.

In a poll of party members earlier this year by the Lib Dem Voice website, Mr Huppert was selected as the MP who had made the biggest impression.

Read the full report, including the verdict on MPs from the other parties at BBC News.

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2 Comments

  • Matt Downey 16th Jul '11 - 11:25am

    Problem is that that is incorrect. “No new MPs made it into the ranks of ministers or were asked to head up a series of backbench committees designed to help the party retain an independent voice on issues outside the coalition.”
    Isn’t Julian Huppert co-chair of backbench Transport committee??

  • Tim13 16th Jul '11 - 10:19pm

    Very surprised to see Sarah Wollaston not being mentioned in the text (although credited with “a significant rebellion” in an adjoining table). Her unusual selection in a Tory open selection process, and subsequent independence of mind and expression often against her own party, has marked her out as one of the most significant new entrants.

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