Nick Clegg: I could be campaigning in Eastleigh at the same time as the PM (From Daily Echo)
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Nick Clegg: I could be campaigning in Eastleigh at the same time as the PM
11:50am Sunday 10th February 2013 in Politics
Nick Clegg
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has revealed he could end up campaigning in Eastleigh at the same time as the Prime Minister.
And he said he hoped voters in the by-election would be able to look past the criminal behaviour which led to Chris Huhne's resignation and instead focus on the Liberal Democrats' policies and record.
Mr Clegg said he was "shocked" by disgraced ex-Cabinet minister Huhne's conduct, which resulted in him quitting as an MP after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.
The by-election contest will see Mr Clegg's Lib Dems engage in a full-blooded fight with their coalition partners the Conservatives, who hope to regain a seat they lost in 1994.
Mr Clegg said Huhne's criminal conduct and the trial of his ex-wife Vicky Pryce would "undeniably" be an issue in the campaign but voters would be able to separate the "courtroom drama" from the political issues.
In a TV interview he said: "As I have said before, I was very shocked and sad to see what happened and to see that his whole family has been engulfed in this in a very public way.
"I think you have to have a heart of stone not to think that is a pretty shocking and sad thing."
Mr Clegg said he had taken Huhne's assurances "at face value" and was only informed about his change of plea the night before he admitted the offence.
He said: "At the end of the day Chris needs to speak for himself, needs to answer himself and needs to make amends for what has happened and what he's done.
"I don't actually think, at the end of the day, when people come to vote in Eastleigh on February 28, whilst they may have strong feelings one way or another about Chris Huhne, I've heard lots of people say they don't like what's happening in the court, but they actually think that what he did as a local MP was the model of a Liberal Democrat working hard for the local community.
"I think most people will be able to separate the courtroom drama, which at the end of the day is a very private drama being played out in public by divisions within a family, I don't think people will make their judgment on that about who they want to represent them in Parliament for the future.
"I think what people will care about is what does it mean for jobs in the local area, what does it mean for housing in the local area, what does it mean for fair taxes in the local area.
"Those are they kind of things we are going to be campaigning on between now and by-election day."
Mr Clegg said the coalition would remain strong despite the prospect of a bruising contest with the Conservatives on the doorstep in the Hampshire seat.
He even suggested Prime Minister David Cameron could end up in the constituency at the same time as him.
"We may end up there at the same time, that would be a change from sitting around the same table in Whitehall to actually campaigning in different streets in Eastleigh."
Mr Clegg added: "I don't think there is any reason at all why we can't compete vigorously in a by-election and spell out in a grown up, forthright way where we differ."
He insisted it a "great opportunity" for the Lib Dems to highlight their achievements and that it was right not to agree a truce with the Tories over the seat.
"I personally am always against any kind of whiff of stitch-ups because it is important to give people a choice," said.
Mike Thornton, a parish and borough councillor since 2007, has been selected to fight the seat for the Lib Dems.
He will be up against Tory candidate Maria Hutchings, a staunch eurosceptic and opponent of David Cameron's gay marriage reforms which have split the party. She previously stood against Mr Huhne in 2010, losing out by 3,864 votes.
According to a poll released last night, the Lib Dems remain in front in Eastleigh spelling potential defeat for the Prime Minister.
The poll put the Lib Dems on 36%, ahead of the Tories on 33%. The poll also put the UK Independence Party on 16%, ahead of Labour on 13%.
Some 504 people in Eastleigh were questioned.
Comments(16)
Outside of the Box
says...
12:48pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Yorkyboy22
says...
12:49pm Sun 10 Feb 13
freefinker wrote:100% agree! And seeing his treacherous, Tory enabling mug around Eastleigh is going to help the LibDum vote how?
"And he said he hoped voters in the by-election would .. focus on the Liberal Democrats' policies and record."
The policies were fine. It's just they all got ditched; all we are left with the record of treachery.
Frank28
says...
12:51pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Paramjit Bahia
says...
12:55pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Why there is no news on Echo's website of what NuLabour is doing in Eastleigh? Who is their candidate? And no mention by Echo that with Tory vote slipping to UKIP with right kind of candidate (Which I think should be Alan Lloyd) they could win. Is this not the abuse of principle of free press, which Editor Murray often talk about? Is this the case of Echo's anti not only actual left but even right of centre NuLabour agenda?
J.P.M
says...
1:04pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Paramjit Bahia wrote:I totally agree - there is a wiff of spin to the DE reporting content.
Nick Clegg, whom even some of the sugar coated Tories the Lib Dem do not like because while self serving he has sacrificed most of the manifesto pledges of their opportunist party, appearing in Eastleigh, where as prominent part of unpopular government he is rightly disliked by ordinary people who are the victims of Coalition's pro super rich policies paid for by forcing austerity on them, could do even more damage to them in byelection than the ET look alike liar Huhne, whose crime has has already put this party very firmly in the stinking brown stuff.
Why there is no news on Echo's website of what NuLabour is doing in Eastleigh? Who is their candidate? And no mention by Echo that with Tory vote slipping to UKIP with right kind of candidate (Which I think should be Alan Lloyd) they could win. Is this not the abuse of principle of free press, which Editor Murray often talk about? Is this the case of Echo's anti not only actual left but even right of centre NuLabour agenda?
Paramjit Bahia
says...
1:12pm Sun 10 Feb 13
freefinker wrote:Well said Freefinker, I have the feeling even Southy will agree with your comment.
"And he said he hoped voters in the by-election would .. focus on the Liberal Democrats' policies and record."
The policies were fine. It's just they all got ditched; all we are left with the record of treachery.
Oh, mention of Southy reminds me that other day you promised to donate £100 if they field a candidate, as they have now done U turn by announcing a candidate on their website, which was mentioned by Iron Lady last night, will you still be parting with your money?
freefinker
says...
1:28pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Paramjit Bahia wrote:Nice try, but as I said ‘T & C’s apply’. You need to see what I said at 5:17pm Fri 8 Feb 13 on that story: -
freefinker wrote:Well said Freefinker, I have the feeling even Southy will agree with your comment.
"And he said he hoped voters in the by-election would .. focus on the Liberal Democrats' policies and record."
The policies were fine. It's just they all got ditched; all we are left with the record of treachery.
Oh, mention of Southy reminds me that other day you promised to donate £100 if they field a candidate, as they have now done U turn by announcing a candidate on their website, which was mentioned by Iron Lady last night, will you still be parting with your money?
http://www.dailyecho
.co.uk/news/10215504
.Warning_to_Tories_a
s_they_take_a_poll_l
ead/#commentsList
netley020
says...
1:32pm Sun 10 Feb 13
netley020
says...
3:26pm Sun 10 Feb 13
netley020
says...
3:26pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Lone Ranger.
says...
3:50pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Paramjit Bahia wrote:Paramjit ....... I am sure that i read that Labour will announce the New Labour MP for Eastleigh .... On Tuesday
Nick Clegg, whom even some of the sugar coated Tories the Lib Dem do not like because while self serving he has sacrificed most of the manifesto pledges of their opportunist party, appearing in Eastleigh, where as prominent part of unpopular government he is rightly disliked by ordinary people who are the victims of Coalition's pro super rich policies paid for by forcing austerity on them, could do even more damage to them in byelection than the ET look alike liar Huhne, whose crime has has already put this party very firmly in the stinking brown stuff.
Why there is no news on Echo's website of what NuLabour is doing in Eastleigh? Who is their candidate? And no mention by Echo that with Tory vote slipping to UKIP with right kind of candidate (Which I think should be Alan Lloyd) they could win. Is this not the abuse of principle of free press, which Editor Murray often talk about? Is this the case of Echo's anti not only actual left but even right of centre NuLabour agenda?
freefinker
says...
3:53pm Sun 10 Feb 13
Lone Ranger. wrote:.. gosh, s/he's been elected even before being selected?
Paramjit Bahia wrote:Paramjit ....... I am sure that i read that Labour will announce the New Labour MP for Eastleigh .... On Tuesday
Nick Clegg, whom even some of the sugar coated Tories the Lib Dem do not like because while self serving he has sacrificed most of the manifesto pledges of their opportunist party, appearing in Eastleigh, where as prominent part of unpopular government he is rightly disliked by ordinary people who are the victims of Coalition's pro super rich policies paid for by forcing austerity on them, could do even more damage to them in byelection than the ET look alike liar Huhne, whose crime has has already put this party very firmly in the stinking brown stuff.
Why there is no news on Echo's website of what NuLabour is doing in Eastleigh? Who is their candidate? And no mention by Echo that with Tory vote slipping to UKIP with right kind of candidate (Which I think should be Alan Lloyd) they could win. Is this not the abuse of principle of free press, which Editor Murray often talk about? Is this the case of Echo's anti not only actual left but even right of centre NuLabour agenda?
Lone Ranger.
says...
4:08pm Sun 10 Feb 13
freefinker wrote:Well spotted ....... It only took you 3 minutes !!
Lone Ranger. wrote:.. gosh, s/he's been elected even before being selected?
Paramjit Bahia wrote:Paramjit ....... I am sure that i read that Labour will announce the New Labour MP for Eastleigh .... On Tuesday
Nick Clegg, whom even some of the sugar coated Tories the Lib Dem do not like because while self serving he has sacrificed most of the manifesto pledges of their opportunist party, appearing in Eastleigh, where as prominent part of unpopular government he is rightly disliked by ordinary people who are the victims of Coalition's pro super rich policies paid for by forcing austerity on them, could do even more damage to them in byelection than the ET look alike liar Huhne, whose crime has has already put this party very firmly in the stinking brown stuff.
Why there is no news on Echo's website of what NuLabour is doing in Eastleigh? Who is their candidate? And no mention by Echo that with Tory vote slipping to UKIP with right kind of candidate (Which I think should be Alan Lloyd) they could win. Is this not the abuse of principle of free press, which Editor Murray often talk about? Is this the case of Echo's anti not only actual left but even right of centre NuLabour agenda?
SaintM
says...
7:27pm Sun 10 Feb 13
netley020
says...
7:40pm Sun 10 Feb 13
SaintM wrote:Well said
Clegg is a fool, no one will vote for a party that supports a lying cheating crook but they have no choice as they all are
freefinker says...
12:13pm Sun 10 Feb 13
The policies were fine. It's just they all got ditched; all we are left with the record of treachery.