Yesterday Norman Lamb, the Lib Dem MP said

The Liberal Democrats must not go into coalition with Labour even if they win more seats after the general election because the association with Ed Miliband would be so “damaging” for the party, a minister has warned.

Norman Lamb, the Lib Dem care minister, said his party would be come under sustained attack if they make a coalition deal with Labour if the party get a small majority at the next election because Ed Miliband will prove to be as unpopular as Francois Hollande is in France.

Mr Lamb, one of Nick Clegg’s closest allies, warned that any deal would results in “zero honeymoon” time and instead the Lib Dems would be attacked from word go.

Mr Lamb warned that being “latched to” a Labour-Lib Dem coalition in such a scenario would be “enormously damaging” for the Liberal Democrats.

What makes this intervention so interesting is that as the telegraph alludes to is Norman Lamb’s closeness to Nick Clegg, I’m guessing such an intervention must have been vetted/approved by the Lib Dem leader.

Although some in the Labour party will be amused and annoyed that a party that is polling in the single digits is saying a future coalition with Labour will be damaging for the Lib Dems, for those who have been critical of Ed Miliband in recent weeks, will be able to point out that Ed’s performance is so bad, that the Lib Dems don’t want to be associated with us.

My instinct after this intervention is to back the 8/1 Ladbrokes are offering on a Labour minority government after the next election.

TSE