GE2010: General Election Summary Day #8

A good day for the Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrat's Leader, Nick Clegg announced his decision to retract some of his party's favourite policies given the changed economic circumstances; this will have struck most voters as reasonable. Rather than specific policies, sounding sensible is the Liberal Democrats' biggest advantage. Clegg will have reinforced that idea today.

Frank Field MP, who was the first MP to support Hoon & Hewitt's plot last week, offered some support for the Conservatives today. He turned up to David Cameron's speech at the thinktank Demos, at the Conservatives' invitation. ConservativeHome's report on speech here. Mr. Field is too much of a Labour man to ever defect to the Conservatives, maybe he will be invited to play a role in any future Conservative government? He could take a job on welfare, the teaching of British history, democratic reform or even immigration.

David Cameron gave an excellent performance on Five Live this afternoon. Cross-examined by Richard Bacon and callers for an hour he came across as measured, warm and consistent. We should not underestimate the vote winner that Cameron is going to be for the Conservatives once the election campaign is up and running properly and voters are focused on a choice between him becoming PM and Brown staying at Number Ten.

CCHQ needs to reassure grassroots Conservatives on the shortlisting process for John Maples and other 2010 retirees. Conservative Grassroots reacted furiously in the blogosphere to John Maples' decision to stand down now and thus disenfranchise his local party members in their selection of his successor. Mr. Maples position at CCHQ as Head of Candidates means he should not have any role in drawing up the shortlists of three for his seat. CCHQ will want to avoid a row with local parties so close to an election.

And Finally, Conservatives take 16% and 13% leads in two new polls out tonight.

• Angus Reid Public Opinion have figures showing no change on their previous poll on a sample of 2,000.  Conservative 40%, Labour 24%, Liberal Democrats 20%. Read more about the Angus Reid survey at PoliticalBetting.com.
• Meanwhile, on a sample of 1,509, Populus for The Times (here) has Conservative 41% (Up 3% points), Labour 28% (Down 2% points), Liberal Democrats 19% (Down 1% point).

Acknowledgement: ConservativeHome | ToryDiary| 11/01/10

Guardian Tip Edward Leigh in Speakership Challenge

The Guardian is tipping local parliamentarian Edward Leigh MP for a possible Speakership bid following the General Election, expected on Thursday 6th May 2010.

It is well known that the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, who replaced Michael Martin MP - who was forced to resign last year over the MPs Expences scandal - has always been a centrist in the Conservative Party's ranks; whilst the Catholic, Member of Parliament for the Gainsborough Constituency - which covers Gainsborough, Caistor, Market Rasen and the Lincoln fringe (villages like Cherry Willingham, Nettleham and Welton) - has always been on the right flank of the Conservative Party.

The Guardian reports that:

"Tory MPs are pushing for the removal of the Speaker of the Commons, John Bercow, should their party win the next general election, with the right of the Conservative party beginning to mobilise for the backbencher Edward Leigh to take over the role...

"Conservative MPs have remained uncomfortable with Bercow since he was elected amid much fanfare last May. Although a Tory, Bercow won the position largely with Labour support and he has irritated MPs with his muscular style of chairing Commons debates.

"Tory MPs also feel that a decision by Bercow's wife, Sally, to criticise the Conservative leader, David Cameron, and run as a Labour candidate in this May's local elections has politicised his position and made it untenable."

Mr. Leigh is Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (The Guardian mistakenly attribute Mr. Leigh as Chairman of the Public Administration Committee in reality chaired by Dr. Tony Wright) and president of the rightwing Cornerstone group.

The paper suggests that senior backbenchers believe supporting him would placate the right of the party in the period immediately after coming to office, when Cameron's initial steps might not allow him to make many inroads into tax or Europe policy.

The article suggests that the Cornerstone group represents around 30 - 40 parliamentarians, and if the Conservatives win the General Election with a majority of that order they would demand an election for the role of Speaker in return for their voting bloc.

The Times yesterday reported that CCHQ has made it clear to members in Bercow's Buckingham constituency that any one helping Nigel Farage, the former leader of the Unied Kingdom Independence Party who plans to challenge and want to unseat Mr. Bercow would be ejected from the party, apparently following concerns expressed by the local Conservative Association.

The Guardian predict that the issue is likely to break into the open when the Procedure Committee reports and calls for a fully contested election for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speakers.One of the committee members, Christopher Chope MP, Conservative (Christchurch), is known to be mobilising against Mr. Bercow's Speakership.

Names of other possible challengers have included veteran Mr. Frank Field MP, Labour (Birkenhead), who is not universally popular with his own side and who would serve as a 'reverse Bercow' as it is believed that sufficient number of Conservative member sof parliament would support him.