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| Lord Oakeshott quits Lib Dems, saying they are heading for disaster | Lord Oakeshott quits Lib Dems, saying they are heading for disaster |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lord Oakeshott, the Liberal Democrat peer, has resigned from the party and warned it is "heading for disaster" under Nick Clegg, after releasing private polls that indicate the party would do better with his ally Vince Cable as leader. | Lord Oakeshott, the Liberal Democrat peer, has resigned from the party and warned it is "heading for disaster" under Nick Clegg, after releasing private polls that indicate the party would do better with his ally Vince Cable as leader. |
| Oakeshott said Clegg had made the party one of "no roots, no principles and no values". He also revealed Cable knew several weeks ago about the controversial voting predictions that suggested Clegg would lose his seat along with three other MPs – before the party's disastrous showing in the European and council elections. | Oakeshott said Clegg had made the party one of "no roots, no principles and no values". He also revealed Cable knew several weeks ago about the controversial voting predictions that suggested Clegg would lose his seat along with three other MPs – before the party's disastrous showing in the European and council elections. |
| "A few stout-hearted MPs and peers, and hundreds, maybe soon thousands, of candidates, councillors and Lib Dem members all over Britain are now fighting constituency by constituency for a leadership election," Oakeshott said in a statement. | "A few stout-hearted MPs and peers, and hundreds, maybe soon thousands, of candidates, councillors and Lib Dem members all over Britain are now fighting constituency by constituency for a leadership election," Oakeshott said in a statement. |
| "I have tried to give them the evidence they need to make the change. I pray that they win, and that the right man, or preferably woman, is now elected to save the party." | "I have tried to give them the evidence they need to make the change. I pray that they win, and that the right man, or preferably woman, is now elected to save the party." |
| Cable, the Lib Dem business secretary, has alleged that his close friend leaked the ICM polling to the Guardian, describing it as "utterly reprehensible" and "totally unacceptable", and adding that there was no leadership issue. | Cable, the Lib Dem business secretary, has alleged that his close friend leaked the ICM polling to the Guardian, describing it as "utterly reprehensible" and "totally unacceptable", and adding that there was no leadership issue. |
| In Oakeshott's account of events, Cable approved a survey about voting intentions in his constituency of Twickenham but asked for a question on what would happen with a change of leader to be removed. Oakeshott said Cable did not commission the ICM polling on four constituencies that suggested the party would do better under a different leader, but was told about the results some weeks ago. | In Oakeshott's account of events, Cable approved a survey about voting intentions in his constituency of Twickenham but asked for a question on what would happen with a change of leader to be removed. Oakeshott said Cable did not commission the ICM polling on four constituencies that suggested the party would do better under a different leader, but was told about the results some weeks ago. |
| The senior peer said he was sorry to have "so embarrassed and upset" his old friend Cable, but he had been working with the best intentions for the party at heart. | The senior peer said he was sorry to have "so embarrassed and upset" his old friend Cable, but he had been working with the best intentions for the party at heart. |
| Oakeshott, who helped to found one of the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats in 1981, said he would now "take a leave of absence from the House of Lords" as well as resigning from the party. | Oakeshott, who helped to found one of the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats in 1981, said he would now "take a leave of absence from the House of Lords" as well as resigning from the party. |
| "I am sure the party is heading for disaster if it keeps Nick Clegg and I must not get in the way of the many brave Liberal Democrats fighting for change," he said. "I leave, with a heavy heart, the party I helped to found with such high hopes with Roy Jenkins, Bill Rodgers, Shirley Williams and David Owen at Limehouse in 1981. | "I am sure the party is heading for disaster if it keeps Nick Clegg and I must not get in the way of the many brave Liberal Democrats fighting for change," he said. "I leave, with a heavy heart, the party I helped to found with such high hopes with Roy Jenkins, Bill Rodgers, Shirley Williams and David Owen at Limehouse in 1981. |
| "We then, like most Liberal Democrats now, wanted a radical progressive party, not a 'split the difference' centre party, with, in Shirley's memorable words, no roots, no principles and no values. But that is where Nick Clegg has led us. | "We then, like most Liberal Democrats now, wanted a radical progressive party, not a 'split the difference' centre party, with, in Shirley's memorable words, no roots, no principles and no values. But that is where Nick Clegg has led us. |
| "I am sorry I have so upset and embarrassed my old friend Vince Cable and that we were not able to talk before he issued yesterday's statement from China." | "I am sorry I have so upset and embarrassed my old friend Vince Cable and that we were not able to talk before he issued yesterday's statement from China." |
| Oakeshott said a further poll on voting intentions in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, the Scottish constituency of Danny Alexander, the senior Lib Dem Treasury minister, would be on the ICM website later on Wednesday. | |
| "The combined message of these five professional and reputable ICM constituency polls, Nick Clegg's dire approval ratings year after year in all national polls, and Thursday's appalling council and European election results is crystal clear: we must change the leader to give Liberal Democrat MPs their best chance to win in 2015," he added. | "The combined message of these five professional and reputable ICM constituency polls, Nick Clegg's dire approval ratings year after year in all national polls, and Thursday's appalling council and European election results is crystal clear: we must change the leader to give Liberal Democrat MPs their best chance to win in 2015," he added. |
| The poll suggested Alexander would lose his seat, with the Lib Dems coming third on 16%, only just ahead of the Conservatives on 12%. The Scottish National party were in front on 32% and the Labour party second on 25%. Almost half of his constituents could not name Alexander as their local MP. | The poll suggested Alexander would lose his seat, with the Lib Dems coming third on 16%, only just ahead of the Conservatives on 12%. The Scottish National party were in front on 32% and the Labour party second on 25%. Almost half of his constituents could not name Alexander as their local MP. |
| Oakeshott also claimed his own party – and others – have been involved in offering cash for peerages. "When Charles Kennedy rang to make me a peer from a panel elected by the party 14 years ago, he said he wanted me to shake up the Lords," he said. "I've tried – my bills to ban non-dom peers are now law – but my efforts to expose and end cash for peerages in all parties, including our own, and help get the Lords elected have failed. " | |
| Clegg had earlier signalled that Oakeshott could lose the party whip over "unacceptable" efforts to undermine his leadership, but avoided questions about whether he thought Cable was also involved in plotting against him. The deputy prime minister condemned the release of the private polling. | Clegg had earlier signalled that Oakeshott could lose the party whip over "unacceptable" efforts to undermine his leadership, but avoided questions about whether he thought Cable was also involved in plotting against him. The deputy prime minister condemned the release of the private polling. |
| Asked about the attempt to destabilise his leadership, Clegg said: "I think it's odd, to put it very mildly, that any fellow Liberal Democrat should spend time and good money, while the rest of us were out campaigning for these tough elections, instead surreptitiously trying to come up with specious claims on the basis of polls, which were in any case entirely confounded by the election results. I don't need some partial poll to tell me how people actually voted in my constituency, where as it happens the Liberal Democrats increased our majority." | Asked about the attempt to destabilise his leadership, Clegg said: "I think it's odd, to put it very mildly, that any fellow Liberal Democrat should spend time and good money, while the rest of us were out campaigning for these tough elections, instead surreptitiously trying to come up with specious claims on the basis of polls, which were in any case entirely confounded by the election results. I don't need some partial poll to tell me how people actually voted in my constituency, where as it happens the Liberal Democrats increased our majority." |
| Speaking before Oakeshott's resignation statement, Clegg said "appropriate steps would no doubt be taken" against the peer when parliament returned, suggesting the peer could lose the party whip. | Speaking before Oakeshott's resignation statement, Clegg said "appropriate steps would no doubt be taken" against the peer when parliament returned, suggesting the peer could lose the party whip. |
| He said: "I think it is totally unacceptable that people in a campaigning party facing very difficult elections last week, as we were, find out now with hindsight that a senior member of the party, far from actually going out to try and win votes, was spending time and money to undermine the fortunes of the party. And obviously, parliament resumes next week and all of these things will be taken up then and discussed in the House of Lords and House of Commons – and following on from those discussions, appropriate steps will no doubt be taken." | He said: "I think it is totally unacceptable that people in a campaigning party facing very difficult elections last week, as we were, find out now with hindsight that a senior member of the party, far from actually going out to try and win votes, was spending time and money to undermine the fortunes of the party. And obviously, parliament resumes next week and all of these things will be taken up then and discussed in the House of Lords and House of Commons – and following on from those discussions, appropriate steps will no doubt be taken." |
| The ICM polls, which were leaked to the Guardian, showed that the Lib Dems were set to lose in four constituencies held by the party, including Clegg's seat of Sheffield Hallam. | The ICM polls, which were leaked to the Guardian, showed that the Lib Dems were set to lose in four constituencies held by the party, including Clegg's seat of Sheffield Hallam. |
| The polls, which were then released by ICM, also showed that the party would lose badly in Wells, Redcar and Cambridge if Clegg remained leader, challenging the mantra that locally active MPs can withstand the loss of wider support nationally for the party. | The polls, which were then released by ICM, also showed that the party would lose badly in Wells, Redcar and Cambridge if Clegg remained leader, challenging the mantra that locally active MPs can withstand the loss of wider support nationally for the party. |
| Lib Dem officials, determined to quell a nascent revolt against Clegg's leadership, had demanded that ICM, the polling company, reveal the identity of the anonymous individual who commissioned the poll, claiming this was required by polling company rules. | Lib Dem officials, determined to quell a nascent revolt against Clegg's leadership, had demanded that ICM, the polling company, reveal the identity of the anonymous individual who commissioned the poll, claiming this was required by polling company rules. |
| Nick Moon, the director of ICM, referred himself to the British Polling Council and was told there was no requirement to identify the person or organisation that commissioned the poll as long as neither ICM nor the poll's commissioner was responsible for the leak to the Guardian. | Nick Moon, the director of ICM, referred himself to the British Polling Council and was told there was no requirement to identify the person or organisation that commissioned the poll as long as neither ICM nor the poll's commissioner was responsible for the leak to the Guardian. |
| The Lib Dem leadership said privately that they believed the polls leaked to the Guardian had been ordered by Oakeshott. | |
| Michael Dugher, Labour's shadow Cabinet Office minister, criticised the Lib Dems for squabbling among themselves. "At the very moment when people want solutions to the country's problems, Nick Clegg is at the head of a self-indulgent rabble of a party – turning in on themselves, rather than standing up for hardworking families," he said. "It doesn't matter who resigns – the truth is you can't trust a word any Lib Dem says." | |
| A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: "This is Lord Oakeshott's decision and is understandable in the circumstances. These have been a difficult few days after a disappointing set of election results. But now is the time to get on with the business of government and getting our message out about what the Liberal Democrats are delivering in government to build a stronger economy and a fairer society – cutting income tax, bringing down the deficit, creating jobs and making sure everyone benefits from our economic recovery." | |