Liberal Democrat ministers have warned that the Conservatives will inflict lasting political damage to Nick Clegg's party if voters think the coalition Government is relishing the task of cutting public spending. Although the Cabinet has agreed to try to blame the cuts on its inheritance from Labour, senior Lib Dems are worried that some Tory politicians - including George Osborne, the Chancellor - give the impression they are on a Thatcherite mission to shrink the state. One Liberal Democrat minister warned yesterday: "If we look as though we are enjoying it, we're dead. We have to take people with us."
Liberal Democrat ministers have warned that the Conservatives will inflict lasting political damage to Nick Clegg's party if voters think the coalition Government is relishing the task of cutting public spending.
Although the Cabinet has agreed to try to blame the cuts on its inheritance from Labour, senior Lib Dems are worried that some Tory politicians - including George Osborne, the Chancellor - give the impression they are on a Thatcherite mission to shrink the state.
One Liberal Democrat minister warned yesterday: "If we look as though we are enjoying it, we're dead. We have to take people with us."
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott privately harboured doubts about the intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003, he disclosed today. Giving evidence to the final session of the Iraq Inquiry before the summer, he said that many of the reports about Saddam Hussein's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) appeared to be just "tittle tattle".Lord Prescott also spoke of the intense pressure on the former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, saying that he was "not a very happy bunny" as he agonised over whether military action was legal.And he revealed that he had complained to the cabinet secretary about Tony Blair's informal style of "sofa government", and that he had regarded the lack of formal cabinet discussion as "dangerous".
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott privately harboured doubts about the intelligence used to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003, he disclosed today.
Giving evidence to the final session of the Iraq Inquiry before the summer, he said that many of the reports about Saddam Hussein's supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) appeared to be just "tittle tattle".
Lord Prescott also spoke of the intense pressure on the former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, saying that he was "not a very happy bunny" as he agonised over whether military action was legal.
And he revealed that he had complained to the cabinet secretary about Tony Blair's informal style of "sofa government", and that he had regarded the lack of formal cabinet discussion as "dangerous".
Sinking ship and rats? *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Where were you all when Robin Cook resigned ? Or even when Clare short did (and she was too late by half as well) ?
Cowards. cowards all. I almost admire Tony Blair because at least he stood up for what he believed even if he was psychotic and wrong. keep to the Fen Causeway
If you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas. "..if we're enjoying it"? Who's he kidding ? they are damned that the tories are enjoying it; the LDP are left looking like fools whatever they do now. keep to the Fen Causeway
