If ever you wanted proof that the New Liberal Democrats are Tories by another name, here it is.

I can’t help think that Victoria Helyar-Cardwell has missed my point a little.

(For reference, Clegg had been on Today arguing aimlessly with Naughtie about whether or not his party would vote to “support” the Tories and “defeat” Labour in a Commons vote on a referendum over the recent EU Treaty.)

From: [The Minister] Sent: 22 January 2008 21:24
To: CLEGG, Nick
Subject: Today programme

Dear Mr. Clegg,

Writing as a Lib Dem-inclined floating voter whose vote helped Stephen Williams win Bristol West in 2005, I was a little disappointed by your comments on the Today programme this morning.

Instead of being just another politician engaging in another pointless game of semantics with another puffed-up BBC presenter, it would have been refreshing to have heard you say, “Liberal Democrats don’t vote in Parliament to ‘support’ or ‘defeat’ either of the other parties.  Liberal Democrat MPs vote in accordance with what they believe to be in the best interests of the United Kingdom.”

Yours sincerely,

[The Minister]

from    Libdemleader <LIBDEMLEADER@parliament.uk>
to    [The Minister] date    Feb 7, 2008 3:14 PM
subject    RE: Today programme

Dear [Minister],

Many thanks for your email.  Nick has asked me to reply to you on his behalf.

Nick and the Liberal Democrat do vote according to what they believe is in the best interests of the people in the UK who they represent.

We have a record of being credible and honest on issues which are unpopular and difficult for the other parties to deal – tax, immigration, civil liberties, the environment and Iraq war as examples of such matters.

Thanks again for your comments.

All best wishes,
Victoria Helyar-Cardwell
Correspondence Manager
Office of the Leader of the Liberal Democrats