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Post by fretslider on May 27, 2014 16:43:57 GMT -5
Nick Clegg’s allies have accused supporters of Vince Cable of plotting to undermine the Deputy Prime Minister’s position as Liberal Democrat leader. Supporters of Mr Clegg have said that the Business Secretary’s team is responsible for commissioning opinion polls that suggest the Lib Dems will do better at the general election if they get rid of Mr Clegg. Lord Oakeshot, a close friend of Vince Cable, is the prime suspect, one minister told the The Telegraph.
Senior ministers close to Mr Clegg are also demanding that ICM Research, the polling firm that conducted the surveys, reveals who paid for the work.
The Lib Dem row over the polling comes as Mr Clegg faces calls for his resignation over the party’s dismal performance in the European elections, where the Lib Dems were beaten by the Greens and lost all but one of their MEPs. Some Lib Dem MPs and candidates believe the party needs to remove Mr Clegg to improve its chances in next year’s general election. ICM today published polls carried out in Lib Dem constituencies including Mr Clegg’s own seat of Sheffield Hallam. The polls show that Mr Clegg could lose his own seat and suggest that unless he is removed several other Lib Dems will also lose by wide margins. If Mr Cable were Lib Dem leader, the Lib Dem results would be better, the polls show.
The polls were first reported by The Guardian, which said the polls had been commissioned by “a Lib Dem supporter” but gave no more details. ICM said it would not reveal the identity of the person who funded the research, describing the commissioner only as “a member of the Liberal Democrats”. Several of the Lib Dems pushing for Mr Clegg to quit are arguing that Mr Cable should replace him. Mr Cable this week released a statement backing Mr Clegg and insisting there is “no leadership issue”. The business secretary is in China on an official visit this week. Despite his statement of support, Mr Clegg’s team suspect people close to Mr Cable of encouraging moves to topple the leader.
One minister close to Mr Clegg told The Telegraph that the “prime suspect” for the ICM polling is Lord Oakeshott, a Lib Dem peer and close friend of Mr Cable. "This must be Oakeshott. He never stops trying to undermine Nick and this is just the sort of thing he’d try,” the minister said. Lord Oakeshott, a City fund manager, has been a persistent critic of Mr Clegg’s leadership. He did not respond to messages seeking comment on the matter.
ICM is a member of the British Polling Council, an industry body whose members are committed to full disclosure around their polling work. The council rules state: “All data and research findings made on the basis of surveys conducted in the United Kingdom by member organisations that enter the public domain, must include reference to the following: Client commissioning the survey.”
The company published all the data behind the polls today, identifying the client as “a member of the Liberal Democrats” but giving no more information. The company should go further and give a name, according to another Lib Dem minister. “ICM should publish the name. This should be made public so we know who’s behind this,” said the minister, adding: “I’m surprised ICM is happy to be used like this.”
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nick-clegg/10857946/Vince-Cable-accused-of-plot-to-oust-Nick-Clegg.html
It looks like it's curtains for Clegg
Senior ministers close to Mr Clegg are also demanding that ICM Research, the polling firm that conducted the surveys, reveals who paid for the work.
The Lib Dem row over the polling comes as Mr Clegg faces calls for his resignation over the party’s dismal performance in the European elections, where the Lib Dems were beaten by the Greens and lost all but one of their MEPs. Some Lib Dem MPs and candidates believe the party needs to remove Mr Clegg to improve its chances in next year’s general election. ICM today published polls carried out in Lib Dem constituencies including Mr Clegg’s own seat of Sheffield Hallam. The polls show that Mr Clegg could lose his own seat and suggest that unless he is removed several other Lib Dems will also lose by wide margins. If Mr Cable were Lib Dem leader, the Lib Dem results would be better, the polls show.
The polls were first reported by The Guardian, which said the polls had been commissioned by “a Lib Dem supporter” but gave no more details. ICM said it would not reveal the identity of the person who funded the research, describing the commissioner only as “a member of the Liberal Democrats”. Several of the Lib Dems pushing for Mr Clegg to quit are arguing that Mr Cable should replace him. Mr Cable this week released a statement backing Mr Clegg and insisting there is “no leadership issue”. The business secretary is in China on an official visit this week. Despite his statement of support, Mr Clegg’s team suspect people close to Mr Cable of encouraging moves to topple the leader.
One minister close to Mr Clegg told The Telegraph that the “prime suspect” for the ICM polling is Lord Oakeshott, a Lib Dem peer and close friend of Mr Cable. "This must be Oakeshott. He never stops trying to undermine Nick and this is just the sort of thing he’d try,” the minister said. Lord Oakeshott, a City fund manager, has been a persistent critic of Mr Clegg’s leadership. He did not respond to messages seeking comment on the matter.
ICM is a member of the British Polling Council, an industry body whose members are committed to full disclosure around their polling work. The council rules state: “All data and research findings made on the basis of surveys conducted in the United Kingdom by member organisations that enter the public domain, must include reference to the following: Client commissioning the survey.”
The company published all the data behind the polls today, identifying the client as “a member of the Liberal Democrats” but giving no more information. The company should go further and give a name, according to another Lib Dem minister. “ICM should publish the name. This should be made public so we know who’s behind this,” said the minister, adding: “I’m surprised ICM is happy to be used like this.”
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/nick-clegg/10857946/Vince-Cable-accused-of-plot-to-oust-Nick-Clegg.html
It looks like it's curtains for Clegg
