This was pretty much inevitable. The combination of terrible opinion poll ratings and Brown’s decision to delay an election until at least 2009 gave the LibDems the opportunity to oust a leader who had failed to connect with the public. It’s odd that Ming hasn’t appeared in public. Perhaps he hasn’t resigned but the men […]
Imminently. It seems to have taken the media and the Lib Dems by surprise. 6.35pm: Vince Cable (Deputy, and now Acting, Leader) and Simon Hughes (President of the Party) have just given a statement outside Cowley Street, confirming that Ming has decided to resign with immediate effect. Ming won’t be making a statement tonight. Hughes […]
Channel 4 has just revealed that a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times puts the Conservatives 3% ahead of Labour. The real movement is in the collapse of the LibDems, however. Will Messrs Huhne and Clegg have the courage to act? Added on Sunday morning:
Ben Brogan: "His opener was angry: Britain under Brown, where hedge fund managers pay less tax than their cleaners and a Government leads the country into an illegal war, is not a liberal country (it’s noticeable that Ming more often than not drops the word ‘democrat’). He poked easy fun at the way Mr Brown […]
Last week in a new series of occasional debates we asked: ‘Ousting Maggie or Black Wednesday – Which event hurt the Tories most?’ Today, as the LibDems gang up against Ming in Brighton, we ask the question: ‘Labour or the LibDems – Who’s worst?’ The LibDems are worst?: Just look at their beliefs… They’re the […]
Earlier this week we noted the LibDem leader’s support for Gordon Brown’s dishonourable position on the draft EU Treaty. Matthew d’Ancona says this about Ming Campbell’s call for a vote on membership of the EU: "Sir Menzies Campbell’s call for a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU is a desperate bid to preserve party […]
In his online Q&A with Telegraph readers yesterday, David Cameron promised a parliamentary ambush of Gordon Brown on the EU Treaty. Over the summer a growing number of Labour MPs have voiced doubts about not allowing a public vote and the TUC is today expected to back one of two motions urging a referendum. Mr […]
Earlier today I posted on today’s ICM poll for The Guardian. I’ve now had a little more time to look at the survey and the most interesting detail comes in looking more closely at the newspaper’s regional analyses (summarised in The Guardian graphic on the right – click to enlarge). A leader in the Guardian […]
Oliver Letwin is leading for the Tories in a Commons debate on the relief of poverty – a debate I’m proud to report was initiated by the Conservatives. The debate comes a day after Iain Duncan Smith’s 188 recommendations into fighting the social injustices that have got worse under Labour. Speaking yesterday David Cameron said: […]
In today’s Telegraph, Simon Heffer writes the wisest thing I have read so far on that Ashdown offer: "With the fact of the meeting and the offer being reported in the media, and Sir Menzies having denied that any such offer would be accepted, Mr Brown then chose to ignore him, went over his head, […]
This morning’s Guardian reveals that Gordon Brown has been holding secret talks with Ming Campbell about possible LibDem participation in his first Cabinet. Reading the article it appears that a deal may be impossible but it’s further confirmation of what we all know: Ming’s heart is on the left and there is every chance that […]
Although it’s been an unhappy month for our party there is, as I have argued, no need for panic. Brown is beatable and Team Cameron are beginning to take the kind of steps that will bring the conservative coalition together. The most notable steps are the crunchy policy announcements, the appointment of Andy Coulson and […]
The Scottish Conservatives unveiled this clever leaflet yesterday to remind voters that Liberal Democrats have propped up Holyrood’s Labour-led coalition and will probably do so again if given the chance. Every voter in the southern English seats that the Tories need to win at the next election needs to hear a similar message. Voters who […]
This month’s Communicate Research poll for The Independent is still giving Labour a slim lead but it is only 1% after last month’s 2% lead. All of the other polls in the ConservativeHome poll of polls are indicating Tory leads (Populus 1%, YouGov 4%, ICM 8%). All polls are showing a slippage in the LibDem […]
A YouGov poll for The Sunday Times of nearly 2,000 voters (bizarrely coming just two days after another YouGov poll for The Telegraph) gives the Tories a 5% lead. The LibDems at 15% are at one of their lowest levels for a number of years. Other pollsters give the LibDems 18% (ICM), 19% (Populus) and […]