Cameron wishes the Lib Dems well in the Oldham by-election. We know this because he said
so, in Brussels this afternoon, no less than three times in thirty seconds. The Telegraph’s James Kirkup has the full transcript, here.
The PM does caveat his well-wishing – adding that “we’ll be fighting for the same votes” – but his general effusiveness isn’t going to reassure those Tories who suspect he’d quite like a Lib Dem victory, really. Already the murmuring has started, with ConHome’s Jonathan Isaby casting an understandably sceptical eye across proceedings, this morning.
What’s clear is that this Oldham by-election will be used as a political barometer by all sides. Everything from Cameron’s attitude towards his coalition partners to the impact of the student protests will be read, rightly or wrongly, into the campaign and its outcome. The PM will no doubt avoid fuelling the speculation from now on.
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