Why the Lib Dems are being branded ‘Yellow Tories’
Jo Swinson’s party angers Labour supporters over NHS privatisation vote
“Yellow Tories” was trending on Twitter this morning after the Liberal Democrats refused to back a Commons motion preventing NHS privatisation.
The Labour Party put forward a motion to amend the Queen’s Speech to include protection for the NHS from being up for grabs in future trade deals that would “put profit before public health”.
Labour lost the vote 282 to 310 after the Conservative Party voted against the proposal and the Lib Dems abstained.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
When was the term first used?
“Yellow Tories” entered mainstream use in 2010, after the Lib Dems agreed to prop up a Conservative government when David Cameron failed to win an outright majority in the May general election.
The Lib Dems entering into coalition with the Conservatives was seen by many as a betrayal, and Lib Dems’ opinion poll ratings dropped from 27% at the general election to around 14% a few months later, says the BBC.
In an August 2010 letter to the then Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband, the Labour leader at the time, said: “It is no surprise that people, even within your own party, feel that you have betrayed those who voted for you just a few months ago.”
That year, Socialist Review magazine said the coalition was evidence of “yellow Tories exposed”.
But the term had been used by Labour and the political left before the coalition. Labour MP Wes Streeting branded Nick Clegg a “yellow tory” in 2009 after the then Lib Dem leader advocated “savage” cuts.
Why have accusations resurged?
The Lib Dems’ decision to abstain on the NHS motion is seen by Labour supporters as evidence that Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson and her party do not oppose NHS privatisation.
When the result of the vote was announced, MPs in the Commons could be heard asking “where are the Lib Dems?”
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said those not backing the motion had “refused to safeguard the NHS from a Trump deal sell off that locks in privatisation.
“The actions of Tory MPs and inaction of Lib Dems who abstained, risks further privatisation of our health system and could open the door to US pharma forcing our NHS into buying more expensive medicines. This yet again shows only Labour can be trusted with our NHS.”
However, Caron Lindsay, editor at Lib Dem Voice, insists the party does not want to see the NHS undermined by Donald Trump and had concerns about the Health and Social Care Act 2012. But she says the Liberal Democrats could not back Labour’s amendment, which sought to repeal the act altogether, as “there was some good stuff in there, on social care and on mental health, both issues very important to us.
“So even if we think that the Act isn’t perfect, we would go with amending rather than appealing it,” she says.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Who will replace Rishi Sunak as the next Tory leader?
In Depth Shortlist will be whittled down to two later today
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
David Cameron resigns as Sunak names shadow cabinet
Speed Read New foreign secretary joins 12 shadow ministers brought in to fill vacancies after electoral decimation
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published