Vince 'Vinny' Cable has had to perform some extra-ordinary political backflips in order to maintain his status as Secretary of State for Business. But the latest volte face, U-turn, flip-flop call it what you will, could be something of a first in British political history.
Vince's department has a policy to ramp up student tuition fees and the Tories have graciously allowed them to abstain given that every Lib-Dem MP signed a pledge to do so over their dead body. Conservatives could see an interesting dilemma occuring where whatever way Lib-Dem Ministers voted make them appear mad, bad or sad.
Clegg must have taken the political gamble that the students would swallow their medicine just like before as British young people are apolitical and apathetic. And yet they are not. The eruption of anger from the campuses has taken everyone by surprise not least the hapless NUS president, Aaron Porter who tied himself in knots and didn't even attend the last protest.
The control freakery of the police is fuelling the anger as is the cutting of the £30 a week allowance for poor sixth formers, a needless and pernicious 'saving'.
The Scottish and Welsh Parliaments are ensuring their countries' students are not exposed to such huge liabilities which just underlines how avoidable the policy is.
Vince may end up not supporting his own bill, but in any event Lib-Dem support among students is below sea level.
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