The Liberal Democrat candidate in the delayed Thirsk and Malton election on May 27 has promised a "full-on fight" against the Tories.
Just as his leader Nick Clegg was fawning over David Cameron in the Downing Street rose garden this afternoon, the Liberal Democrat candidate in the delayed Thirsk and Malton election promised a “full-on fight” against the Tories – and even called on Labour supporters to “vote tactically”.
Howard Keal, leader of the Lib Dem group on Ryedale council, told the Yorkshire Post:
“It’s a full-on fight, there’s no question about it. I never expected anything else than we would fight the by-election. It was never in any shadow of a doubt. I hope people in our constituency will seize the opportunity we have been given to upset the apple cart…
“I hope disgruntled Conservatives – of which there are plenty – will lend me their vote and Labour supporters will vote tactically to help deliver a shock result in Thirsk and Malton.”
Labour candidate Jonathan Roberts, however, has accused Keal’s party of “propping up the Tories”. Thirsk and Malton is a newly created constituency, with a notional Tory majority of almost 15,000 over Labour – 27,889 (52.8%) to 13,202 (25%) – with the Liberal Democrats in third on 9,663 votes (18.3%).
Though Labour is unlikely to win the seat, the focus will be on the Lib Dem share, with any swing to Labour spelling trouble for Nick Clegg amidst growing fears the party could be squeezed out. The election, postponed because of the death of the UKIP candidate, will take place on May 27.
20 Responses to “A rose garden love-in, but no love lost in Thirsk”
Nick Stone
RT @leftfootfwd: A rose garden love-in, but no love lost in Thirsk http://bit.ly/9Ac2cY
Robert
I think it a little too optimistic to view this as the first bye-election.
You are right, though, that this will be the first test of how popular the coalition is.
A rose garden love-in, but no love lost in Thirsk « The best Labour blogs
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Shamik Das
No video yet I’m afraid! Great quote in today’s Guardian about the Clegg-eron partnership:
In a play on a joke once cracked by Tony Blair, a Conservative quipped afterwards: “If I was Samantha, I would worry David is going to run off with the man next door.”
The question is, will the in-laws get along? Can’t imagine the Tory right and Lib Dem left being too happy!
Is it Bromance; Carl on the Coalition | Frost Magazine
[…] on May 13, 2010 | 2 comments reddit_url = http://frostmagazine.com/2010/05/is-it-bromance-carl-on-the-coalition/682;reddit_title = Is+it+Bromance%3B+Carl+on+the+Coalition;reddit_newwindow='1';2CommentsShareSince the first press release by Nick Clegg and David Cameron on Wednesday, it has dawned on the media that any coalition conflict in the near future is unlikely to come from these guys, and their so-called ‘love-in‘. […]