Liberal Democrats
Swivel-eyed loons are a feature of British democracy
I’d just like to point out, having been a journalist for many years and having met these people, and also having been a member of the Labour Party for more… Continue reading
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The Liberal Democrats, the natural party of government?
If four years ago, a Liberal Democrat politician had attempted to portray the Lib Dems as the natural party of government we all would have laughed. But that is just… Continue reading
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Will the draft EU referendum bill calm Tory tensions?
The last few days have seen the Tory party losing its collective head. Number 10 hopes that the publication of a draft referendum bill will begin to restore order. If… Continue reading
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Gove: I’d vote to leave the EU if referendum held today
In a firecracker of an interview on the Andrew Marr Show, Michael Gove confirmed that if an EU referendum was held today he would vote out. But he followed this… Continue reading
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Lib Dems try to avoid their own local election jitters
The dominant narrative in the build-up to these local elections has been all about UKIp vs the Tories, with a bit of angst about Labour’s southern mission thrown in. The… Continue reading
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Liberal Democrats liberal with the facts
I know the Liberal Democrats are trying to take credit for anything they like the sound of, but their rewriting of history is getting out of control. It seems that they have… Continue reading
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Nigel Farage shouldn’t get Ukip’s hopes up for a win in Portsmouth South
Talk of a by-election in Portsmouth South has been growing, fuelled by allegations against MP Mike Hancock. And, in a speech to the parliamentary press gallery lunch yesterday, Nigel Farage… Continue reading
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How the Snooping Bill could end up dead in the water – sooner or later
When Cabinet met this morning, ministers didn’t discuss the Communications Data Bill, which the government hopes to get into the forthcoming Queen’s Speech. But there is a growing sense in… Continue reading
32 Comments![tory-poster[2]](http://cdn2.spectator.co.uk/files/2013/04/tory-poster2-140x91.jpg)
The Tories steal the Lib Dems’ best clothes with new poster
This poster will, I am sure, have the Lib Dems hopping about with fury. The Tories have hi-jacked a key Liberal Democrat policy: raising the personal allowance. Perhaps this is… Continue reading
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Liberal Democrat spinners spin away the past
A conundrum for ambitious Liberal Democrats who have seen their CVs blighted by the scandal surrounding former party Chief Executive Lord Rennard. Though the portly peer denies all allegations of… Continue reading
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No thawing in Ed Miliband’s attitude to the Liberal Democrats
Ed Miliband’s interview with The Times today is striking for the language he uses about the Liberal Democrats. There’s no attempt to follow up last week’s Clegg, Miliband outflanking of… Continue reading
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Clegg aims for ‘sensible’ 2015 manifesto with immigration speech
Nick Clegg gave his ‘sensible’ immigration speech this morning. He started off by agreeing with Labour’s Yvette Cooper that politicians shouldn’t enter an ‘arms race of rhetoric’, and then spent… Continue reading
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Clegg: the Tories are like a broken shopping trolley – they always veer to the right.
If you want to know what the Liberal Democrat’s message at the next election will be, read Nick Clegg’s speech to the party’s Spring Conference today. He kept to the… Continue reading
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Coalition negotiations on childcare tax break near conclusion
Jo Swinson’s speech to the Lib Dem spring conference highlighted her again as a confident performer who has higher to rise in the party. I was at a fringe session… Continue reading
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Lib Dem candidate resigns over secret courts
Lib Dem members have just voted overwhelmingly in favour of an emergency motion on secret courts which repeated calls for the party’s parliamentarians to delete the second half of the… Continue reading
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Tories and Lib Dems strike deal on mansion tax vote
Further to Isabel’s post this morning, I understand from a senior coalition source that the two parties have now reached an agreement on how to handle Tuesday’s vote on Labour’s… Continue reading
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Lib Dems to hold mansion tax vote strategy meeting
Will the Lib Dems support Labour’s mansion tax vote? Vince Cable praised his pet policy idea last night, telling Lib Dem activists that it was an effective way of the… Continue reading
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Vince Cable: Tory ‘ideologues’ waging ‘jihad’ against public spending
Vince Cable managed to hit all the Lib Dem spots last night with his fringe speech at the Lib Dem spring conference. He didn’t just mention the words ‘land value… Continue reading
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Shirley Williams: Nick Clegg is above all the victim of the Rennard scandal coverage
A crime reporter friend enjoys telling the story of his first black eye at the local Magistrates’ Court. Like so many, it occurred as he was leaving, and bumped into… Continue reading
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What was it that made the Vicky Pryce trial so compelling?
Just about the only respectable moral that can be drawn from the grisly extended farce that was the Vicky Pryce trial is that the defence of marital coercion is a… Continue reading
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