Hard-up Tories don’t have the cash to fight Clegg in Sheffield

Nick Clegg’s demise may have been exaggerated. Many have predicted he will lose his Sheffield Hallam seat at the next election, prompting speculation that he would bail out early and head for Brussels.

However, it seems the Tories – his main challenger in the posh northern seat – are not up for the fight. They are so cash-strapped they have closed their campaign HQ in the city and moved to Rotherham.

Richard Coldwell, from the party’s local board, showed uncharacteristic candour in politics when he told the Sheffield Star last week: “Given the weak financial position of Sheffield Conservatives, we could not afford to maintain our own office on an ongoing basis and pay the fee required to the campaign centre.” Pass round the top hat.

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• http://twitter.com/mikeknoth mikeknoth

  britain built an empire on the backs of slaves

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Gwynne/100002969915428 Chris Gwynne

  he’ll go down, big style. maybe the tories will put someone up against him i don’t know, but if the anger i feel as someone who voted lib dem for 32 years is anything to go by and the anger others have told me they feel. and having been on the lib dem facebook page i have seen a lot more posts against them than for them. i am certain he and most of the other lib dems will lose their seats. but then, i’m not really sure i believe in our democracy any more, come the “election” he’ll probably suddenly become incredibly popular.

• wildejamey

  OK. But Sheffield Hallam is not exactly a glittering prize. Even less so will be leadership of a parliamentary party of 6 MPs.

• Guest

  Clegg was too terrified that digging his heels in about PR would be a deal-breaker for getting into government with Cameron. AV was a gutless compromise. He was more eager for power than doing the right thing. The country has paid a heavy price. But at least we now know what the Tories and LibDems stand for.

• Richard Shaw

  If Liib Dems only cared about power they would have joined a party more likely to give it to them; they would have joined Labour or the Conservatives. The fact that they’re in the third party suggests the complete opposite of what you imply – that they genuinely believe in liberalism and are willing to work with other groups and parties to deliver a more liberal Britain.