“0944: Senior Lib Dem sources say Nick Clegg is prepared to negotiate seriously with Labour if Gordon Brown is prepared to step down quickly, says the BBC’s Iain Watson. As we speak, Schools Secretary Ed Balls, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and former Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell are all in Downing Street holding a meeting with Mr Brown.” BBC
All the signs are that the Tory talks with the Lib Dems on a possible agreement following the election are coming to a resolution with a meeting of the new Conservative parliamentary party this evening being one of the final hurdles. It’s hard to see Tory MPs, more than half of whom are new, not backing Cameron though it might not be as smooth a ride as the leadership would have hoped. The prospect of power, even if that is…
Pollster CON LAB LD Error RNB India: phone 37 (+0.1) 28 (-1.7) 26 (+2.4) 4.2 ICM phone/past vote weighted 36 (-0.9) 28 (-1.7) 26 (+2.4) 5 Populus: phone/past vote weighted 37 (+0.1) 28 (-1.7) 27 (+3.4) 5.2 Ipsos-MORI: phone 36 (-0.9) 29 (-0.7) 27 (+3.4) 5 Harris: Online 35 (-1.9) 29 (-0.7) 27 (+3.4) 6 ComRes: phone/past vote weighted 37 (+0.1) 28 (-1.7) 28 (+4.4) 6.2 Opinium: online 35 (-1.9) 27 (-2.7) 26 (+2.4) 7 YouGov: online 35 (-1.9) 28…
As the secret talk between the LDs and the Tories continue it’s not far-fetched to suggest that Nick Clegg could be a cabinet minister this time tomorrow night. If indeed a deal has been done then we are entering a completely new period in UK politics which has risks for all the three party leaders. What I’ve found striking is the support that Clegg seems to be getting from Paddy Ashdown who still has a massive influence within the party….
Is he preparing for an early visit to the palace? Lots of things are going on behind the scenes but it is interesting, surely, that Gordon and Sarah are on their way back to London from Scotland after only flying there yesterday. Could it be that something is in the offing? Mike Smithson
Or is it too big a step for their parties to swallow? What a day Saturday was and, no doubt, it will continue throughout Sunday. Are the leaderships of both the Tories and Lib Dem going to be able to sell a deal to their parties that appears to run so much against the grain of both? For the very notion of a blue-yellow “common plan” as is it is now being called seems so alien to many in the…
This is from BPIX for tomorrow’s Mail on Sunday.
Should he have quit on Friday? A new YouGov poll tonight for the Sunday Times looks at how the public is viewing the current situation and has the above finding on what Brown should have done. I wonder whether he is causing damage to his party by trying to sit it out. I think we will look back at these times in amazement at the way that the rest of the Labour leadership is acquiescing in the situation. Meanwhile Smarkets…