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9 May 2010updated 27 Sep 2015 2:21am

Can Nick Clegg really be about to abandon electoral reform?

I don’t believe so.

By James Macintyre

Monitor Twitter and the blogosphere today, and the conventional wisdom consensus that emerges is that Nick Clegg is indeed about to do a deal with the Conservatives, possibly even at the cost of electoral reform.

Here, for example, is what Krishnan Guru-Murthy, the respected Channel 4 News anchor, says:

Well, from what Gove, Ashdown and Hague have said so far today it does sound like a deal is likely . . . and PR is not.

Is this really possible? I cannot believe it, and not just because Clegg reiterated his support for electoral reform at yesterday’s rally in central London. You can call it wishful thinking, but I genuinely believe that there is an element of going through the motions happening here, and that talks with the Tories may yet break down.

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After which the Lib Dems will give a serious look at Labour’s comprehensive offer of PR and numerous cabinet places.

 

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