A senior Liberal Democrat member of the Government has branded Conservative Coalition partners as "ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal."
Dr Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, made the controversial statement on the BBC Radio 4's Today programme with John Humphrys earlier today.
His embittered comments follow the collapse of Lib Dem support in the recent English council, Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliamentary elections. The pro-electoral reform Lib Dems also suffered a humiliating defeat when the nation decided overwhelmingly to reject the Alternative Vote system of election to the Westminster Parliament.
Despite Dr Cable's obvious reservations about the Coalition agreement, he reinforced Deputy PM Nick Clegg's assertion that the Government would continue for the next four years.
Dr Cable told the BBC News Channel: "The basic reason for going into coalition wasn't electoral reform, but the economic crisis. We still have one."
"Some of us never had many illusions about the Conservatives, but they have emerged as ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal.
"But that doesn't mean to say we can't work with them. I think they have always been that way, but you have to be businesslike and professional and you have to work with people who aren't your natural bedfellows and that is being grown-up in politics. We are going to continue to do that."
Another Liberal Democrat member of the Government, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne, reportedly had a Cabinet room bust up with Conservative PM David Cameron about the way the "No to AV" campaign had been conducted. He has also publicly targeted Conservative Chairman Sayeeda Warsi over her support of the campaign, citing First Past the Post as the electoral system of choice for the British National Party.
There has never been a better time to silence the Liberal Democrats by calling a General Election and bringing this limp and conciliatory Coalition to a grinding halt.
Let the people decide and let's have an unequivocal Conservative mandate to govern.
Dr Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, made the controversial statement on the BBC Radio 4's Today programme with John Humphrys earlier today.
His embittered comments follow the collapse of Lib Dem support in the recent English council, Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliamentary elections. The pro-electoral reform Lib Dems also suffered a humiliating defeat when the nation decided overwhelmingly to reject the Alternative Vote system of election to the Westminster Parliament.
Despite Dr Cable's obvious reservations about the Coalition agreement, he reinforced Deputy PM Nick Clegg's assertion that the Government would continue for the next four years.
Dr Cable told the BBC News Channel: "The basic reason for going into coalition wasn't electoral reform, but the economic crisis. We still have one."
"Some of us never had many illusions about the Conservatives, but they have emerged as ruthless, calculating and thoroughly tribal.
"But that doesn't mean to say we can't work with them. I think they have always been that way, but you have to be businesslike and professional and you have to work with people who aren't your natural bedfellows and that is being grown-up in politics. We are going to continue to do that."
Another Liberal Democrat member of the Government, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne, reportedly had a Cabinet room bust up with Conservative PM David Cameron about the way the "No to AV" campaign had been conducted. He has also publicly targeted Conservative Chairman Sayeeda Warsi over her support of the campaign, citing First Past the Post as the electoral system of choice for the British National Party.
There has never been a better time to silence the Liberal Democrats by calling a General Election and bringing this limp and conciliatory Coalition to a grinding halt.
Let the people decide and let's have an unequivocal Conservative mandate to govern.
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