Today’s Mail on Sunday has a story which reaches all sorts of wild conclusions from a few raw facts. Of course you could argue that that’s the rule for virtually all stories in that publication. And you’d be right.
The headline screams: Cable holds “secret ski summit” in French Alps with peer plotting to oust Nick Clegg.
It doesn’t take you very long to realise that this wasn’t some great plotting session, but, in fact, a holiday during the Parliamentary recess.
The piece also contains the revelation that their hotel boasted a gym, jacuzzi and swimming pool. How very unusual that is for a hotel these days.
Apparently, Vince and his wife Rachel were seen “huddled in conversation” with Oakeshott. It’s completely counter-intuitive that anyone going on holiday with a friend would actually want to talk to them.
I suppose we’re expected to feel grateful that they actually bothered to contact Vince for a comment. He is quoted as saying:
There’s a lot of difference between expressing distinct political views and personal friendships which go back for many years.
As stories about Liberal Democrats go, this one was actually quite mild for the Fail. It made me laugh, though.
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17 Comments
How very disappointing, if News moggie is correct.
A lot of ex Lib Dem voters are waiting for a leadership coup. Sooner rather than later would be best for the party long term.
“It doesn’t take you very long to realise that this wasn’t some great plotting session, but, in fact, a holiday during the Parliamentary recess”.
That is a bit of a disappointment. Still, we can live in hope.
I am sure that they are not plotting but Vince & Mathew Oakshott do a fantastic job demonstrating that it is worth staying in the Party despite Clegg.
As I continue to ask, who is your outstanding replacement candidate for Nick Clegg and why have they strangely not put themselves forward yet?
As someone who is not part of the Westminster bubble I do not have an inside line as to who could take over as leader. Whilst I personally have a lot of time for Nick, it is nevertheless true that up here in the North East he is anathema to the voters. For the beleaguered councillors, candidates (of which I am one), and party members, the quicker he goes, the better.. As for my personal choice for a replacement, I would support Vince to take us through the general election, and then,to follow him, Tim Farron.
Another ‘long shot’ for me instead of Vince would be Charles Kennedy again. He is one of those people who still has a lot of respect and affection round here.
Any takers?
I’m kind of thinking that we as members have to do a bit of the legwork on upping Nick’s profile and reputation. Nobody else is going to do it for us and surely we must all be able to think of some things that he’s done that we like. Dave, I find that voters tend to respond well to knowing that he’s been responsible for things like improving mental health and directing extra money to disadvantaged children in schools.
Is the Mail on Sunday being presented as a reliably authoritative and friendly commentator on our party? If so, my response is: ‘Hmmm….’!
Caron
If Clegg has overseen so much of coalition dealings which we strongly disagree with – why on earth should we
“do a bit of the legwork on upping Nick’s profile and reputation. Nobody else is going to do it for us and surely we must all be able to think of some things that he’s done that we like. ”
I will not try and defend the many issues where the parliamentary party has let the country down by pointing to the two areas where we have done a little good.
@RC “As I continue to ask, who is your outstanding replacement candidate for Nick Clegg”
If you think there is no “outstanding replacement candidate” for Clegg, that is surely a sad state of affairs for the party.
If you think there are plenty of outstanding candidates but none are putting themselves forward at the moment, then that is a different matter, and not necessarily a vote of confidence in the future of the party or Clegg.
@Dave G Fawcett
“As for my personal choice for a replacement, I would support Vince to take us through the general election.”
I admit that at this stage I would marginally prefer Cable, but do you really think he would not be instantly ridiculed and unfairly scapegoated by the media in the same way as Nick Clegg, probably on the basis of his age?
RC You continue to ask this question, but have still not answered mine to you as to your motivation. Come on, let’s have it!
@Dave G Fawcett “I would support Vince to take us through the general election, and then,to follow him, Tim Farron.”
That is an interesting thought. I expect the Lib Dems to fare badly in 2015 whoever leads them, and I believe it would be better to fail under Clegg and then make a clean break with the causes of failure rather than to fail under a new leader and be uncertain whether failure was because of the change or what happened before it. Continuing with Clegg would also mean that if 2015 is an unexpected success the party is better placed to capitalise on it.
On reflection though, I suppose that Cable as an interim leader could be a good alternative way forward. His age is often seen as a weakness, but that could actually be an advantage for a short-term ‘caretaker’ leader, and he might represent a balance between continuity and change. It might win my vote back, but as a sample of one I may not be very representative 🙂 And public perception of the manner in which one leader is replaced by another makes it a very risky venture.
Surely the expected derisory result in the May Euros will bring about the change in June.
I always view the Mail and Sunday Mail as the older versions of the li
I always view the Mail and Mail on Sunday as the older version of the little poisen-dwarf we had in every school class,
club, society, or congregation. The one at the back, with an opinion on everything, that sought to “big themselves up”
by denigrating everyone else. The one who always said “Why don’t they do xxxxxx” and never thought of he
themselves as a “they”. The spider that drizzeld poison as it wrapped a web of half-truths, deceipt, and spite around its v ictim. The spawn of Dr. Goebels that, at the end of the day, went home to Mummy and Daddy and radiated smiles to achieve the only rewardthey knew they would get – the unquestioning praise of indulgent parents. Their parents live in
Paris, though.
Nick Clegg – didn’t he take over from Ming – deposed because he was not doing well enough in opinion polls ? (Ok technically resigned but we know why) Nick Clegg – ddin’t he tell Gordon Brown that he had to go because he was so unpopular he would lose the referendum on electoral reform ? Nick Clegg if he got back to the popularity ratings of Ming Campbell and Gordon Brown – it would represent a massive recovery – unparalleled in political history – yet still leave him desperately unpopular.
So Sad at the disloyalty and lack of integrity shown by Lord Oakshott. As a long term Lib Dem supporter and voter, I was dismayed that over the years I have been misguided in thinking that the party was different from the other showers in the hse of commons and hse of lords.he didn’t even have the bottle to stand up for what he believes