Internal revolt among the (UK) Liberal Democrats (Cozying up to the Cons has consequences)

[marmar]

from the Guardian UK:


Liberal Democrat candidates who called for their party to move away from Tory policies triumphed in internal elections for its two ruling bodies at the weekend.

Nick Clegg has been at pains to emphasise the Lib Dem leadership supports all coalition government policies, but the former MP Evan Harris topped the poll, calling for the party to "distance ourselves from Conservative policies that have been imposed on our ministers".

After reports that senior Tories and Lib Dems were working together to develop a longer-term programme, Harris emphasised that if the Lib Dems entered into another coalition at the next election, it didn't necessarily have to be with the Tories. "Any post-election partnership working should be based purely on the arithmetic and on the policy overlap and that policy work should derived totally independently of the views of our coalition partners," he said.

David Rendel was also returned, coming second in the election to the federal executive, which deals with management and strategy for the party. He is well known for being the only vote against the Lib Dems forming a pact with the Tory party when the executive was asked in May. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/14/lib-dem-elections-tory

[3waygeek]

1. Gee, where have I heard this before? n/t