Without the introduction of the proposed boundary changes, there’s almost no chance of the Conservatives winning a majority at the next election – the party would need a lead of around seven points on a uniform swing. With the changes, however, it would need one of just four. So it’s no surprise that some Tories are still hopeful that they can persuade the Lib Dems to renege on their opposition to the reforms.
Today’s FT reports that the Conservatives are planning a “cash-for-seats” offer under which the Liberal Democrats would approve the new boundaries in return for the introduction of state funding for political parties. So woeful is the Lib Dems’ financial situation that the Tories believe Nick Clegg will have no choice but to withdraw his veto. “They are basically out of money,” one minister tells the paper, while another adds: “There is a plot”. That the Lib Dems’ finances are increasingly strained is beyond doubt. As Rafael noted in August, the party’s entry into government has seen it deprived of the “short money” made available by the state to opposition parties (something that will cost it £9m over the course of the parliament), while the loss of a quarter of its membership in 2011 helped result in a deficit of £299,964 last year.
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