Lib Dems: principles more important than power

Campbell speaks of 'political chasm'

Tuesday, 26, Jun 2007 12:00

Sir Menzies Campbell will today warn the incoming prime minister not to attempt to woo the Liberal Democrats.

The Liberal Democrat leader will distance himself from Gordon Brown's government, claiming fundamental disagreements on issues such as ID cards, Trident and foreign policy make an alliance impossible.

After it was revealed Mr Brown wanted to offer senior Lib Dems a seat around his Cabinet, Sir Menzies will tell him the Liberal Democrats will not "trade principles for ministerial jobs".

In a speech to party supporters at the Liberal Democrats' Westminster headquarters, Sir Menzies will launch a pre-emptive attack on Mr Brown's leadership, saying his fingerprints "are all over the scene of the crime".

His speech is designed to prevent Mr Brown distancing himself from some of Mr Blair's more unpopular policies and also highlight the "political chasm" between the two parties.

Sir Ming will highlight New Labour's record on council tax, City Academies, nuclear energy, Trident and the war in Iraq.

He will say: "On these issues and so many others, we are the only party of true opposition because the Conservatives are in collusion with the government on all of them.

"We have consistently opposed the centralising and authoritarian tendencies of this Labour government. I am not prepared to trade our principled opposition for the sake of ministerial jobs."

Instead, the Liberal Democrat leader will tell supporters he intends to "put him [Brown] in the dock" and scrutinise his policies.

However, Sir Menzies says the party will welcome all-party talks on a range of issues, including climate change and constitutional reform.

Launching his bid for the Labour leadership, Mr Brown promised a "new kind of politics", pointing towards more cross-bench cooperation and the possibility of large-scale constitutional reform.

The full extent of his willingness to work with opposition politicians became clear last week, when it emerged he had offered senior Liberal Democrats positions in his first government.

However, some questioned whether Mr Brown harboured a Machiavellian streak; he was accused of undermining Ming Campbell by offering Paddy Ashdown the role of Northern Ireland secretary after the party leader said no Lib Dems would serve in a Brown government.