Fear of defection: Labour sets its sights on the Lib Dems
By Ian Dunt
The deputy prime minister is facing hostile fire from inside and outside his party, while he holds the fort during David Cameron’s holiday.
Labour is now openly encouraging Liberal Democrat MPs to defect to the opposition benches after a ghastly weekend saw the party frozen by accusations that former leader Charlie Kennedy was joining Labour.
The row prompted Labour leadership hopeful Ed Miliband to launch into a concerted attack on the Mr Clegg during a Guardian interview, urging Liberal Democrat voters and members of parliament to defect to Labour in protest at the coalition’s economic policies.
Labour sources initially confirmed the Kennedy rumours, but the Scottish MP emerged to refute them to a Sunday newspaper, saying: “I am not joining the Labour party and have not had any discussions about it with anyone from the Labour party. I will go out of this world feet-first with my Lib Dem membership card in my pocket.”
Media reports indicate Labour is launching several attempts to convince specific Liberal Democrat MPs who seem uncomfortable with the coalition’s economic agenda away from the government benches.
Mike Hancock, Portsmouth South MP, is a possible recruit, and admitted to journalists he was approached by Dennis Skinner. He has refused to rule it out, according to the Independent newspaper.
Baroness Tonge told the Sunday Times she had spoken with Labour officials and that she would consider resigning if benefits for the poor and unemployed were included in the spending review.
Ed Miliband seemed to suggest he was personally trying to turn over Lib Dem figures during his interview with the Guardian.
“I think we can stop the coalition lasting. It depends upon people like Simon Hughes, Charles Kennedy, Ming Campbell – who I believe are unhappy,” he said.
“I have private relationships with some Liberal Democrats that I’m not going to particularly talk about. But I think there are lots of unhappy Liberal Democrats.”
The Labour leadership hopeful, whose pro-civil liberties and anti-Iraq war credentials make him the most threatening of the candidates to the Liberal Democrats, reserved his harshest words for Mr Clegg.
“Nick Clegg is a betrayal of the Liberal tradition,” he said.
“David Cameron and Nick Clegg are texting each other like teenagers in love because they agree with each other. It’s not some forced marriage, they ideologically agree with each other.”
Mr Clegg will now be concentrating on the Liberal Democrat autumn conference next month, in which he must prevent hostility towards the Conservatives, and most importantly the deficit reduction plan, from spilling over in full view of the media.
A policy paper on the party’s future relationship with Labour could provide a focal point for dissenting voices, and officials are less than pleased with the fact that Mr Clegg will actually have to leave the conference early to deputise for Mr Cameron at the United Nations, while the prime minister stays at home due to his wife’s pregnancy.
Mr Clegg has more immediate matters to deal with in the short term. Today sees the arrival of the Fifa inspection team who will look at England’s football facilities in order to decide on its 2018 World Cup Bid.
Mr Cameron left a video message for the inspection team apologising for his absence.
