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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dem candidates call on Clegg to step down | Lib Dem candidates call on Clegg to step down |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Two Lib Dem parliamentary candidates in key swing seats have called on party leader Nick Clegg to step down. | Two Lib Dem parliamentary candidates in key swing seats have called on party leader Nick Clegg to step down. |
| Jackie Porter, would-be MP for Winchester, said that after another poor local election showing, it was time to act in the party's best interests. | Jackie Porter, would-be MP for Winchester, said that after another poor local election showing, it was time to act in the party's best interests. |
| West Dorset candidate Ros Kayes said the public had lost trust in Mr Clegg. | West Dorset candidate Ros Kayes said the public had lost trust in Mr Clegg. |
| But a party spokesman said its message should not be "distorted by needless infighting". | But a party spokesman said its message should not be "distorted by needless infighting". |
| Both Winchester and West Dorset are currently held by the Conservatives but are seen as winnable. | Both Winchester and West Dorset are currently held by the Conservatives but are seen as winnable. |
| 'Lovely bloke' | 'Lovely bloke' |
| Ms Porter - a Lib Dem county councillor - said the party's leader had "allowed himself to be portrayed as just another pea out of the same pod" as David Cameron and Ed Miliband. | Ms Porter - a Lib Dem county councillor - said the party's leader had "allowed himself to be portrayed as just another pea out of the same pod" as David Cameron and Ed Miliband. |
| Speaking to the BBC she added: "We have to make decisions to save the party not the person." | Speaking to the BBC she added: "We have to make decisions to save the party not the person." |
| She has signed an open later to Mr Clegg calling on him to stand down so a new leader can be chosen in the summer. | She has signed an open later to Mr Clegg calling on him to stand down so a new leader can be chosen in the summer. |
| Ms Kayes, another of around 200 party figures to put their name to the letter, told BBC Radio 5 live: "If you were to ask the general public what it is they don't like, they wouldn't say they don't like the coalition; they would say they don't like Nick Clegg. | Ms Kayes, another of around 200 party figures to put their name to the letter, told BBC Radio 5 live: "If you were to ask the general public what it is they don't like, they wouldn't say they don't like the coalition; they would say they don't like Nick Clegg. |
| "As an individual he's a lovely bloke, I just don't think he's the right person to carry on leading the party." | "As an individual he's a lovely bloke, I just don't think he's the right person to carry on leading the party." |
| Mr Clegg said he would "absolutely not" be quitting after his party suffered another bad night at the polls in Thursday's English local elections. | Mr Clegg said he would "absolutely not" be quitting after his party suffered another bad night at the polls in Thursday's English local elections. |
| The Lib Dems lost more than 300 councillors and in the wards last contested before the coalition was formed in 2010, it was 14% down. | The Lib Dems lost more than 300 councillors and in the wards last contested before the coalition was formed in 2010, it was 14% down. |
| 'Carnage inevitable' | 'Carnage inevitable' |
| Until now, despite suffering loss after loss, the party's MPs have been remarkably disciplined. | Until now, despite suffering loss after loss, the party's MPs have been remarkably disciplined. |
| But in the wake of Thursday's results, one has given the gravest warning yet about Mr Clegg's future. | But in the wake of Thursday's results, one has given the gravest warning yet about Mr Clegg's future. |
| John Pugh told the BBC he had canvassed more than a dozen backbenchers. | John Pugh told the BBC he had canvassed more than a dozen backbenchers. |
| "The high command is in danger of seeming like generals at the Somme - repeatedly sending others over the top while being safely ensconced in Westminster and claiming the carnage is all somehow sadly inevitable," he said. | "The high command is in danger of seeming like generals at the Somme - repeatedly sending others over the top while being safely ensconced in Westminster and claiming the carnage is all somehow sadly inevitable," he said. |
| The time had passed, he added, for a policy of "misguided stoicism". | The time had passed, he added, for a policy of "misguided stoicism". |
| Although falling short of demanding his leader stand down, Mr Pugh said MPs would now "review" the election performance, putting the "wider party and country first". | Although falling short of demanding his leader stand down, Mr Pugh said MPs would now "review" the election performance, putting the "wider party and country first". |
| "Our good results are mostly the product of local popularity," he said. | "Our good results are mostly the product of local popularity," he said. |
| "The abysmal loss of well over half our seats last Thursday though is mostly due to national unpopularity." | "The abysmal loss of well over half our seats last Thursday though is mostly due to national unpopularity." |
| Another MP - backbencher John Hemming - said: "I'm not an enthusiastic fan of Nick's leadership, but whether any action is needed at this stage is an issue I will come to when I return to Parliament." | |
| Mr Clegg could face a leadership contest if a majority of Lib Dems at Westminster approve a no confidence motion or 75 local associations formally demand one. | |
| 'Always disappointing' | |
| A Lib Dem spokesman said it was right to take the concerns about the campaign seriously. | |
| But he added: "We always knew these elections would be tough and it is always disappointing when valued, hard working and dedicated councillors lose their seats." | But he added: "We always knew these elections would be tough and it is always disappointing when valued, hard working and dedicated councillors lose their seats." |
| Senior party figures were "proud" of the party's campaign, he said. | Senior party figures were "proud" of the party's campaign, he said. |
| "Nick Clegg stood up for our core values, made the positive case for Britain's place in Europe, and took on Nigel Farage's divisive politics. | "Nick Clegg stood up for our core values, made the positive case for Britain's place in Europe, and took on Nigel Farage's divisive politics. |
| "Now is a time to get our message across, and shout what we're doing in government, and not get distorted by needless infighting." | "Now is a time to get our message across, and shout what we're doing in government, and not get distorted by needless infighting." |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander urged his party to "work harder to sell the recovery as a Liberal Democrat achievement". | |
| "People need to get on with that rather than muttering," he told the Sunday Times. |