264 lines
6.5 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
264 lines
6.5 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
news
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politics
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liberaldemocrats
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8496968
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-----
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# Local election results: Lib Dems doing worse than 1980s
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## The Liberal Democrats have suffered a crushing defeat in elections in
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England, Scotland and Wales in what will be seen as a huge blow for Nick
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Clegg's authority.
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400
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227
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TelegraphPlayer-8497131
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[Link to this video][1]
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By [Martin Evans][2] 7:19AM BST 06 May 2011
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[Comments][3]
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The party lost swathes of council seats in former strongholds in the north of
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England receiving their lowest share of the vote for 30 years.
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The [Lib Dem][4]s lost control of major councils including Hull and Stockport
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in the [local elections][5], while in Manchester every sitting councillor who
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stood for election lost their seat.
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They also lost ground heavily in the Liverpool and significantly in [Mr
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Clegg][6]'s constituency city of Sheffield.
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With many councils still to declare, the Lib Dems were on course for their
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worst share of the vote since the 1980s.
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As the scale of the losses became apparent, the party president, Tim Farron,
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was forced to admit it had been an "unpleasant night".
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## Related Articles
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* [Cameron: Conservative Party has done well][7]
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06 May 2011
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* [Local elections 2011: results map][8]
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06 May 2011
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* [AV referendum and local elections: as they happened May 6][9]
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06 May 2011
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* [Miliband pleased with local election results][10]
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06 May 2011
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* [The pro-AV camp's dirty tactics begin to backfire][11]
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02 May 2011
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* [Don't let AV in by the back door][12]
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30 Apr 2011
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North of the border, the [Scottish National Party][4] enjoyed a stunning
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night, and looked to be on course to take an overall majority in Holyrood
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parliament after winning heavily in [Labour][13] areas.
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SNP leader Alex Salmond said he was "delighted" with the results.
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In the Welsh Assembly early indications were that Labour had done well, taking
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Llanelli from [Plaid Cymru][14] and Blaenau Gwent from an Independent.
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The [Conservative][15] vote held up well in England, with the party hanging on
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to many vulnerable areas and gaining Gloucester from a no overall control
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council.
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With counting in the [AV referendum][16] not due to get under way later in the
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day, the Lib Dems were left licking their wounds and praying for a victory for
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the yes vote campaign.
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As the electorate went to the polls a bitter war of words between the
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coalition partners broke out.
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Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown accused Prime Minister [David Cameron][17]
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of a "breach of faith" by allowing the largely Conservative-funded No campaign
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to turn their fire on Mr Clegg.
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"You cannot fund a deeply vicious campaign to destroy the personality of your
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partner, who has been unmoved in his brave support of the coalition, without
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there being consequences," Lord Ashdown said.
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"When it comes to the bonhomie of the Downing Street rose garden, it's never
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again glad confident morn."
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There were no calls from prominent Lib Dems for their leader to go or to quit
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the coalition, but a number of senior figures pressed for the party to take a
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more independent stance within the Government.
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Deputy leader Simon Hughes said Lib Dem "trust" in the Tories had been knocked
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by their conduct of the referendum campaign and indicated the party would
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demand concessions on key issues like NHS reform where Conservative ministers
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have strayed beyond the terms of last year's coalition agreement.
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"From now on, we are very clear that we will keep to what the coalition has
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agreed in the Coalition Agreement," said Mr Hughes. "Other stuff will not be
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allowed in as policy unless our party has agreed to it."
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[X][18] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][19]
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* Share: [Share][18] [ ][20] [ ][21]
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[Tweet][22]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/8496968/Local-
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election-results-Lib-Dems-doing-worse-than-1980s.html
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Telegraph
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## [Liberal Democrats][4]
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* ### [News »][23]
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* ### [Politics »][24]
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* ### [UK News »][25]
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* ### [Local Elections »][5]
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* ### [Martin Evans »][26]
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In news
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[![Prime Minister David Cameron (R) and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hold
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their first joint press conference in the Downing Street garden][27]][28]
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### [In charge from day one][28]
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[![One year of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in
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pictures][29] ][30]
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### [One year of the coalition][30]
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[![A security hut is set ablaze in Parliament Square, Westminster, London, as
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students demonstrate against planned tuition fee increases][31] ][32]
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### [Tuition fees protests][32]
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[![Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander, Chris Huhne and Vince Cable][33] ][34]
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### [Top 50 Lib Dems: 25-1][34]
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[![History of the House of Commons][35]][36]
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### [History of the Commons][36]
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[X][18] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][19]
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Share:
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* [ ][18]
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* [ ][20]
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* [ ][21]
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* [Tweet][22]
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* Advertisement
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![][37]
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telegraphuk
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Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.][38] [blog
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comments powered by Disqus][39]
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[![Follow The Telegraph on social media][40]][41]
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Advertisement
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[UK Political Database »][42]
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Search Telegraph.co.uk's UK Political Database.
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