Ed Vaizey: You’re on this tiny wooden sled which has two runners at the back so it’s a bit like skiing and Nick Clegg, it turns out, the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesman, used to be a ski-instructor – little known fact about Nick! – So he was the best at that. But I fell off quite frequently.
Steve Richards: When you weren’t falling off [the sled], the odd rumour that’s got back that you and him had such a rapport in the Arctic that you were talking quite a lot about Con/Lib pacts when you had a moment together away from the drama.
Ed Vaizey: Absolutely, yeah. No, I’m trying to tempt Nick over and he wasn’t taking any of it but….
Steve Richards: You’re trying to get him to defect to the Tories, not agree to form a relationship with you after the election…
Ed Vaizey: We have different views on different issues but I do think that Nick is a very, very impressive politician. He’s got leadership skills I have to say from the five days I spent in the Arctic with him. He’s a very nice and charismatic fellow. I do think he’s in the wrong party: he thinks he’s in the right party. Unfortunately
we have to leave it at that.
Friday, February 23, 2007
The Vaizey/Clegg Affair - From the Horse's Mouth
Ed Vaizey is interviewed on GMTV's Sunday Programme about his trip to the Arctic Circle with other MPs, including the LibDem Nick Clegg.
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12 comments:
If the Conservatives were to ditch Cameron and replace him with an IDS character and the Lib Dems embraced classic liberalism and installed Nick Clegg as their Leader, I'd be off like a shot!
Neither likely, in my honest opinion.
You never know, perhaps Ed is the one in the wrong party.
the three parties are all battling for the centre ground - and with the state of the polls as they currently are it - looks like it could be a hung Parliament. As such it makes sense for both main parties to try and appeal to lib dem voters and for centre ground politicians of all parties to work out ways of accomodating each other in aniticipation of that possible hung Parliament. Ed Vaizey and Nick Clegg could well work together, Gordon Brown is believed to have high regard for Ming. Electoral politics suddenly gets interesting again and the lib dems must be licking their lips at the prospect of getting their hands on some power.
As much as the Tories may wish for a defection from us, their thinking that liberalism is similar to their ideals shows how little they understand and appreciate it as a philosophy, and us as a party.
More evidence that the LibDems could be ripped apart in the (likely) event of a hung parliament. Campbell/Cable would like to be Foreign Secretary and Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Brown. Clegg/Laws would like to be Environment and Minister for Police & Security under Cameron.
Could be explosive for the LibDems....
Why did Nick Clegg not run for the leadership? Was it ever asked of him?
I'd be off like a shot!
Don`t worry Justin the hounds would soon chase you down and tear you a part as I quaffed a hot toddy looking on with satisfaction. You don`t leave the organisation buddy
nice work if you can get it!
*shakes head*
Why am I paying for that lot to go on a jolly to play in the snow ?
Everybody should be angry , but whats the point , no change just more of buggins turn on the political wheel.
And considering your many comments across a wide variety of blogs, Justin - no true Conservative would miss you.
I remember seeing Nick Clegg on Channel 4's "The E Word" and wishing he was a Conservative, rather than Lib-Dem politician. Keep at him Vaizey!
That Ed would like him to move is not evidence that he would. I think people who joinrd the LDs when it was obviously a much more difficult road to power than joining either Labour or Tories, are unlikely to change horses just because they are close to getting there.
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