Labour piles pressure on coalition over Cable-gate

By Peter Wozniak Vince Cable and Jeremy Hunt’s ministerial conduct has been called into question by Labour after the business secretary’s unguarded comments to undercover journalists. Ed Milband earlier laid into the coalition as a “sham”, as three more Liberal Democrat ministers had their concerns about coalition policy publicised by a broadsheet newspaper. Potentially more […]

Cable survives – at a cost

By Peter Wozniak and Ian Dunt Vince Cable will remain in the Cabinet despite previously undisclosed comments in which he said he had “declared war” on Rupert Murdoch, concerning the proposed takeover of BSkyB by Mr Murdoch’s NewsCorp. A sting operation by a broadsheet newspaper had seen the business secretary confide that he is prepared […]

Clegg and Cameron in show of coalition unity

By politics.co.uk staff The prime minister and his deputy faced the press today, dismissing the news of Vince Cable’s comments to undercover reporters – but before they were apparently aware of new revelations on Rupert Murdoch BSkyB takeover. David Cameron suggested that the coalition had been more helpful to government policy formation than one party […]

Battle-hardened Clegg takes on the banks

By Ian Dunt Nick Clegg has launched an unexpected broadside at the banks as he tries to secure concrete political gains in the wake of the tuition fees vote. The deputy prime minister and business secretary Vince Cable are thought to be concerned that the government is not taking a sharp enough stick to the […]

Christmas by-election as Lib Dems move writ for Oldham

By politics.co.uk staff The Liberal Democrats are setting the pieces for a Christmas period by-election in Phil Woolas’ former seat of Oldham East and Saddleworth. The party is moving a writ tomorrow morning – meaning the by-election must take place within 15 to 19 working days as determined by Commons authorities. The date of January […]

Comment: Predictions of the coalition’s early demise are a fantasy

HMS Lib Dem is springing leaks and listing badly, but commentators should know better than to predict the annihilation of a political party five years out from a general election. By Peter Wozniak It seems the fashion in Westminster right now when concerning the Liberal Democrats to herald – Nostradamus-style – the inevitable demise of […]

Colin Firth abandons Lib Dem support over fees

By politics.co.uk staff Colin Firth, one of the most prominent celebrity supporters of the Liberal Democrats during the election campaign, has declared himself ‘unaligned’. Mr Firth announced his abdication as a celebrity supporter at a Dubai film festival – and cited the party’s broken pledge on tuition fees for driving him away. He was quoted […]

Miliband makes his own ‘big offer’ to the Lib Dems

By Ian Dunt Ed Miliband has held open the hand of friendship to the Lib Dems, as he attempted to exploit the tuition fees vote to undermine the coalition. Speaking at his first monthly conference as opposition leader, Mr Miliband offered Liberal Democrats an offer to participate in the party policy review – a process […]

Poll: Huge student swing to Labour

By politics.co.uk staff The Liberal Democrats have seen a collapse in student support since the election, a poll confirms. A YouGov survey of students currently at university had the party on 15% – one third of the support it enjoyed among the group in May. The main beneficiary appears to be Labour, up 18 points […]

Clegg to the rescue? Deputy PM pleads for Sheffield Wednesday survival

By politics.co.uk staff An under fire Nick Clegg has promised to assist “in any way I can” to bring about the rescue of troubled football club Sheffield Wednesday. The club avoided a winding-up order at the High Court today, but – as Mr Clegg pointed out – the result is only a “stay of execution”. […]