Lib Dem to confront concerns on away-day
By politics.co.uk staff
Nick Clegg will seek to reassure party members as Liberal Democrats meet to discuss their future.
The junior coalition partners will address concerns about how initial developments in the coalition government have damaged support for Britain’s third party.
Mr Clegg’s work as deputy prime minister has already seen him announce the date for a referendum on electoral reform next year.
He will argue at an ‘away day’ in central London that the Lib Dems will benefit when they take the bigger picture into account.
But concerns from MPs, peers and councillors about the immediate day-to-day impact being in the coalition are unlikely to be easily placated.
Last week the leader of the Liverpool Lib Dems warned the party could be “wiped out” within five years as voters turn to the Conservatives in the south and to Labour in the north.
Lib Dem activists are appalled by the emergency Budget’s VAT hike to 20%, with one MP even voting against it.
Cuts to the Building Schools for the Future programme are also proving unpopular, while business secretary Vince Cable’s decision to indicate his thinking on the controversial tuition fees issue for higher education is awkwardly timed.
