THE LibDems have descended into in-fighting after an MP was sacked from their frontbench for rebelling against the party line on benefit cuts.
Christine Jardine was sacked as the party’s Scotland and equalities spokesperson for refusing to abstain on a Tory amendment to Labour’s controversial welfare bill on Wednesday evening.
In a personal statement, the Edinburgh West MP revealed her personal reasons for doing so.
The Tories had tabled an amendment which would have made it harder for people to claim Personal Independence Payments, which was voted down.
LibDem MPs had been whipped to abstain on this amendment – but Jardine (below) said she was moved to rebel because her late husband had lived with bipolar disorder.
In a letter to leader Ed Davey, she said: “It is not a surprise to you that I have been unhappy about how we have voted in some instances in recent months, but my loyalty to the party meant I would not, and did not break the whip.
“I have always understood we are asked to do things we don't agree with, but this vote was personal to me in a way which meant I could not abstain. I want to set out my reasons for my decision.
“As you know, my late husband Calum, was bipolar. Several people around me have mental health conditions the amendment dismissed as ‘minor’, and not worthy of support. I could not in good conscience do anything other than vote against another Conservative attempt to remove help from those who need it the most.”
Jardine added that because the topic was an “equalities issue” she felt unable to “let down those who are relying on people in power to speak on their behalf”.
After her sacking, a LibDem source told The Times: “We are not in the business of dancing to the tune of the Conservatives through symbolic votes and virtue signalling.”
Former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael (above), the MP for Orkney and Shetland, praised Jardine.
Sharing her statement, he said: “Pure class. So proud to have this woman as a colleague. I can think of [at] least one ‘LibDem source’ who could learn from this.”
A LibDem spokesperson said: "We abstained on this amendment because a vote against was effectively a vote to implement this shambolic bill in full.
"Instead Liberal Democrats voted to oppose the welfare bill altogether.
"Christine decided to take a different view and therefore is no longer on the frontbench. We are grateful to Christine for her service to the party over many years."
