Tweet
23 April 2011
Last updated at 23:18 ET
Nick Clegg has launched a stinging attack on David Cameron over his opposition to changing the voting system at Westminster.
In an interview with the Independent on Sunday, he accused the prime minister of "defending the indefensible".
The deputy prime minister described those pressing for a "No" vote in the referendum on the alternative vote system as a nasty "right-wing clique".
He claimed their campaign was built on "lies, misinformation and deceit".
'Lashing out' In his most outspoken language yet, Mr Clegg said he hoped resistance to moving to the alternative vote (AV) system was the "death-rattle of a right-wing elite".
The "No" camp was spreading deceit, he added.
Mr Clegg said: "This nasty No campaign, I hope, will prove to be the death rattle of a right-wing elite, a right-wing clique who want to keep things the way they are. That's why they are lashing out."
Asked if he was referring to the prime minister, Mr Clegg responded: "Look, I include all those, and of course it includes the Conservative Party, who like this nice little racket: they get a job for life and they waft into power and they don't even need to bother try to get a majority of people on side."
Mr Clegg contrasted the supporters of AV - including the leaders of the Labour Party, Green Party, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and UK Independence Party - with its opponents.
'Reactionary interests' He said: "The other side, you'd have David Cameron, [British National Party leader] Nick Griffin and whoever leads the Communist Party.
"Now that tells you volumes about the very reactionary interests that are defending the indefensible".
Mr Clegg also referred to Mr Cameron's sharing of a campaign platform with Labour former home secretary Lord Reid.
"When Conservatives team up with a man as reactionary and backward-looking as John Reid, you know that the old establishment, the old elite, are just thrashing around," he said.
BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said it was hardly a secret that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats disagreed on the best way to choose MPs.
But the fight is increasingly fierce as the national vote on whether to change the system approaches, she added.
Disputed claims A source close to Mr Clegg said he was not accusing Mr Cameron himself of lying, but Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has written to George Osborne accusing him of untruths.
Mr Huhne called on the chancellor to withdraw disputed claims that a change to the voting system would make elections more expensive.
Former Conservative leader Michael Howard has accused Liberal Democrats, arguing for a new system, of running a disappointing and desperate campaign.
A referendum on 5 May will ask British voters whether they want to switch to the alternative vote, where voters rank candidates in order of preference.
Westminster MPs are currently elected through the first-past-the-post system.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text Feed | Amazon Affiliate
In an interview with the Independent on Sunday, he accused the prime minister of "defending the indefensible".
The deputy prime minister described those pressing for a "No" vote in the referendum on the alternative vote system as a nasty "right-wing clique".
He claimed their campaign was built on "lies, misinformation and deceit".
'Lashing out' In his most outspoken language yet, Mr Clegg said he hoped resistance to moving to the alternative vote (AV) system was the "death-rattle of a right-wing elite".
The "No" camp was spreading deceit, he added.
Mr Clegg said: "This nasty No campaign, I hope, will prove to be the death rattle of a right-wing elite, a right-wing clique who want to keep things the way they are. That's why they are lashing out."
Asked if he was referring to the prime minister, Mr Clegg responded: "Look, I include all those, and of course it includes the Conservative Party, who like this nice little racket: they get a job for life and they waft into power and they don't even need to bother try to get a majority of people on side."
Mr Clegg contrasted the supporters of AV - including the leaders of the Labour Party, Green Party, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru and UK Independence Party - with its opponents.
'Reactionary interests' He said: "The other side, you'd have David Cameron, [British National Party leader] Nick Griffin and whoever leads the Communist Party.
"Now that tells you volumes about the very reactionary interests that are defending the indefensible".
Mr Clegg also referred to Mr Cameron's sharing of a campaign platform with Labour former home secretary Lord Reid.
"When Conservatives team up with a man as reactionary and backward-looking as John Reid, you know that the old establishment, the old elite, are just thrashing around," he said.
BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said it was hardly a secret that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats disagreed on the best way to choose MPs.
But the fight is increasingly fierce as the national vote on whether to change the system approaches, she added.
Disputed claims A source close to Mr Clegg said he was not accusing Mr Cameron himself of lying, but Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has written to George Osborne accusing him of untruths.
Mr Huhne called on the chancellor to withdraw disputed claims that a change to the voting system would make elections more expensive.
Former Conservative leader Michael Howard has accused Liberal Democrats, arguing for a new system, of running a disappointing and desperate campaign.
A referendum on 5 May will ask British voters whether they want to switch to the alternative vote, where voters rank candidates in order of preference.
Westminster MPs are currently elected through the first-past-the-post system.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text Feed | Amazon Affiliate