Simon Hughes, spokesperson for the Lib Dem’s last bastion of liberal integrity, has blown his top over Dave’s recent plan for fixed or limited term council housing.
In a second attempt to prevent the Liberal Democrats from morphing into their Tory partners in as many weeks, Hughes disrespectfully remarked, “it’s a prime ministerial idea – it has no more validity yet and I think our party would need a lot of persuading that it has merit or could work” (much to Guido’s irritation).
Now, we know that Dave was merely responding in a casual Q&A on the Coalition Roadshow tour, but surely saying that your Coalition boss’ idea has minimal merit is slightly undermining to pretensions of bedfellow harmony…?
“My message to troops is to have a break, steady their nerves and realise that the only polls that matter are the real ones during elections.”
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes after coalition collusion saw his party plummet to just 13% in the polls. Compare this with Mr. Hughes’ recent attempt to distance the Liberal Democrats from some Government legislation, with the statement; “We need to be clear that when things come from the Conservative stable [we announce that] this is not our proposal” and you make a decision about dissent in the ranks…
After what has been, well, a somewhat imperfect week for the coalition, it seems our party-political bedfellows are finding it increasingly tricky sharing the proverbial duvet.
David Davis, erstwhile opponent of Dave in the 2005 Tory leadership election, has allegedly approvingly repeated a Lord Ashcroft description of the ConDem partnership as the “Brokeback Coalition”, referencing the Annie Proulx’s short story (and 2005 film) about two gay cowboys. Now we all knew Dave agrees with Nick, but surely their budding relationship hasn’t quite reached the cowboy role-play stage just yet.*
On the other side of the mattress, Lib Dem MP Tim Farron has branded Dave and Co. the “toxic Tories” while Deputy Leader Simon Hughes has revealed that Michael Gove’s ever-accelerating Academies Bill would not have had his party’s support had they been in opposition. Methinks honeymoon period may be coming to a close and the move to separate bedrooms drawing ever nearer.
* Mr. Davis has of course now disavowed any such remark, saying that he must have been misheard.
