Quote of the day - 12 Dec 2010

Michael (Lord) Ashcroft, commenting in the Sunday Telegraph on his large poll regarding Liberal Democrat support now and at the election, this extract reproduced at ConservativeHome:

"The fact that the coalition decision cost the Lib Dems support does not mean it was wrong, even in partisan terms – though only 49% of their voters thought the decision was right, only 21% thought the party should have formed a coalition with Labour instead, and 30% thought they should have stayed in opposition.

Propping up a defeated Labour Party would have provoked fury, and turning down the chance of government would have meant that millions really did waste their votes, cementing the perception that they were not a serious party. Even many Lib Dem voters who do not much like the current government concede that the party was right to join it."