Surmountable problems for Nick Clegg
Peter Hoskin 10:39am
Curious times, getting curiouser, for Nick Clegg. The Lib Dem leader might have thought
that bringing his party into government would ensure him a triumphant reception at their conference in two weeks. But, instead, he faces a number of stories that could unsettle proceedings. Today,
we hear that more Liberal Democrat councillors have resigned in what
they claim is protest at the cuts being implemented by central government. What's more, a number of Lib Dem figures have added their voices to the general cacophony surrounding Andy Coulson.
And that's before we consider the underlying, but most urgent, threat to the stability of the coalition: the Lib Dems' spluttering poll position.
But Clegg should not be unduly concerned. Writing at Liberal Democrat Voice on the council resignations, Stephen Tall contextualises it all quite nicely:
And, as for the conference itself, both parties of the coalition are working hard to strengthen the ties that bind. According to today's Telegraph, Oliver Letwin and Francis Maude are going to provide delicate reassurance from the fringes in Liverpool – while a Lib Dem Cabinet minister is lined up to appear at the Tory conference in Birmingham. So long as Nick Clegg pushes the line that his party are achieving things in government – which they are – then the qualms may not swell into a storm."This brings to a grand total of eight councillors who have defected from the Lib Dems since the special conference in Birmingham, where activists voted by an overwhelming margin to approve the Coalition deal. Or to put it another way, 99.8% of the 3,900 Lib Dem councillors across the UK have chosen not to defect, even though the party has embarked upon an incredibly risky venture, one it knows may cost it votes and seats at the next election."
Previous
Chris
September 4th, 2010 11:51am Report this commentNobody very much has defected from the libdems. This whole fuss is coming from labourites livid that they didn't get in.
If you've paid any attention to the libdems over the years, you know very well that they've been all about getting into power jointly and ruling on the basis of compromise and consensus. The long nightmare of authoritarian war-mongering labour government is over and the libdems helped to make that happen. Every libdem I know is very happy about it.
wrinkled weasel
September 4th, 2010 11:52am Report this commentBit of a Storm in in a D cup, this, for it has not gone tits up for the Coalition, despite the efforts of the slavering BBC and the rest.
These councillors are just the "usual suspects", the rump of the people who still cannot get real over the eyewatering profligacy of the last government.
Clegg has towered above these local wasters of public money, the Osama Bin-Warden rustics and the Coalition now has enough momentum to leave them behind
strapworld
September 4th, 2010 1:19pm Report this commentI never thought I would write this, but, do you know I rather like Nick Clegg. I like the way he quietly gets on with it. I like the way he goes to Afghanistan to talk to our troops (who I know via my son who is in the Army were impressed by him!).
Yes the Liberal Democrats are made up of odd sods - but, there again, which political party is not? All attract odd balls (Balls-exactly!).
It was right to emphasise the fact that 98.8% of the Liberal Democrat councillors have not chosen to defect etc.
Have I missed something but is it a week since that idiot Simon Hughes issued another threat?
DavidDP
September 4th, 2010 2:09pm Report this commentI very much suspect these were people who were otherwise Labour at heart, and saw the LibDems as a way in to positions in areas where Labour were persona non grata.
Finding out that the party is in fact its own entity and not a wholly owned Labour subsidiary has been a nasty shock to some people.
davidk
September 4th, 2010 2:16pm Report this commentBank on this happening: the trickle of Lib Dem defections will become a torrent as the Conference in Liverpool gets underway - and probably by many Lib Dem councillors in Liverpool itself, where the party are recently out of office and councillors make constant complaint in the local media about the coalition.
And Labour will be co-ordinating any defections to spike in conference week. I'd also expect a defecting Lib Dem MP to be trundled out by them.
ajs
September 4th, 2010 5:49pm Report this commentDavidk
You lovely man- do you have a Wishing Well in your garden? If so, jump in.
Salopian
September 4th, 2010 8:32pm Report this commentOh c'mon ajs (5.49pm) be nice! Leave dear old davidk (2.15pm) to his postprandial snooze. Everyone is allowed to dream
As the Meerkat would say "its simples! No turkey has ever voted for Christmas !"
adrian harper
September 7th, 2010 12:12pm Report this commentamusing the things tory posters and journos said about clegg before the election and what they say now he's propping the tories up.
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