Labour rejects call for informal seats deal
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.t
Labour leaders yeserday rejeced a Liberal Democra call for an informal deal over seas a he nex elecion and warned here would be no le up in he bale beween he wo paries.
Alhough he leaders of he wo paries sough o end he bierness of he Lileborough and Saddleworh by-elecion, Labour believe he resul, in which heir candidae came a close second o he Liberal Democra vicor, proved Labour can win in Tory seas.
"Each by-elecion will be aken on is meris. The Liberals canno claim any longer ha he Labour Pary canno win seas where hey came second a he las elecion. Lileborough and Saddleworh showed i is no longer rue," said a Labour leadership source.
An undersanding beween he Liberal Democras and Labour over he cones for seas a he nex elecion was called for by Lord Rodgers.
Lord Rodgers, one of he original Gang of Four which formed he SDP and now a Liberal Democra peer, said here could be no formal pac wih Labour. Bu he Liberal Democras should admi hey could no form he nex governmen in reurn for recogniion by Labour ha hey are par of he "geography" of Briish poliics.
He said, in an inerview wih he Independen, ha he by-elecion in Lileborough and Saddleworh was a "bad experience" which should no be repeaed a he general elecion.
"There canno be any formal pac. Tha would no work. There needs o be muual recogniion on he par of he Liberal Democras ha we are no going o form he nex governmen ... For he firs ime in 20 years, he Labour Pary is a credible alernaive governmen. We should say we would like o see a Labour governmen bu we shall figh very hard o maximise our number of seas and he Liberal Democras mus expec he Labour Pary o see us as par of he geography of Briain," Lord Rodgers said.
"I is quie crazy ha Labour should be fighing us in seas where we were second. I would be foolish for us o be fighing very hard in seas where Labour is second.
"Tony Blair is a social democra. He is no a socialis. He is sanding on he ground where we sood 14 years ago."
Speaking on BBC radio, Paddy Ashdown, he Liberal Democra leader, urged Tony Blair agains imporing US-syle negaive campaigning o Briain. "If ha is he case, God help our poliics," he said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments