Lib Dems turn back on electoral pact
By politics.co.uk staff
The Liberal Democrats have ruled out an electoral pact with their coalition partners.
Deputy leader Simon Hughes said the Conservative party could expect to be challenged by Lib Dem candidates in local elections and at the 2015 general election.
“We will fight the next election in every seat,” Mr Hughes said.
“Our job now is to make sure in every set of elections… people know first of all what we have added to government, what’s changed in Britain because we’re there… but also what are the distinctive things that make it worth voting Liberal Democrat.”
An electoral pact would only be possible by amending the Lib Dem constitution, which pledges to field candidates across the entire UK at general elections.
“It requires a more than 50% majority. I can’t envisage that will happen,” Mr Hughes added.
Early polls since the general election have seen a rapid decline in popular support for the Lib Dems. Their backing has fallen to the mid-teens while the Tories enjoy support of around 40%.
Mr Hughes continued to defend the coalition government, however, while insisting the alliance with the Conservatives was only “temporary”.
“It’s a business arrangement,” he said.
“It’s not a marriage and it’s for one term. And at the end of that term… you fight the election on your own. We will do it, surprise surprise, because we want to win more seats, we want to have more influence, and we want to be in government ideally on our own.”
