Sunday, May 08, 2011

Nasty War of Words over AV in the Coalition

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: David Cameron was branded a ‘toffee-nosed slimebag’ by a senior Liberal Democrat peer yesterday as recriminations over Nick Clegg’s shattering referendum defeat threatened to wreck the Coalition.

The Prime Minister found himself in a Coalition tug-of-war as angry Lib Dems called on him to scrap NHS reforms to make up for Mr Clegg’s failed bid to axe Britain’s first-past-the-post voting system.

Tory Right-wingers hit back by warning Mr Cameron will face a revolt from his grassroots if he made concessions to save the Deputy Premier.

The war of words came as The Mail on Sunday’s ‘referendum map’ showed that outside the bastions of elite university towns and the London liberal elite, virtually every region of Britain voted against the Alternative Vote.

The torrent of abuse at Mr Cameron was led by Lib Dem Lord Tony Greaves. ‘A lot of people in our party never liked Cameron,’ he said. ‘He is seen as a toffee-nosed slimebag, which is what he is. That is being polite to the man.’ The day an angry Lib Dem peer called Cameron 'a toffee-nosed slimebag'... and the people of Britain held the liberal elite to ridicule » | Simon Walters and Brendan Carlin | Sunday, May 08, 2011