HANDBAGS AT YAWN Cam and Clegg go toe-to-toe in Coalition row... and Britain really isn’t that bothered

Tia stepdad: ‘Find my girl’

DAVID Cameron yesterday said he will press ahead with proposed changes to House of Commons constituency boundaries despite the Lib Dems saying they will vote against them.

The decision puts the PM and his Liberal Democrat deputy on a collision course in a row that threatens to send the country to sleep.

In the real world voters are glued to the Olympics or dodging floods.

But in the Westminster bubble, politicians insist on arguing over House of Lords reform or boundary changes.

LibDem leader Nick Clegg cranked up the row on Monday by accusing Tory rebels who wrecked his elected House of Lords dream of “reneging” on the Coalition agreement.

Clegg withdrew his party’s support for the proposed reorganisation of constituency boundaries which would benefit the Conservatives.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister said he would press on with the boundary changes – and moves to shrink the House of Commons – even though the LibDems have pledged opposition.

Mr Cameron, on a visit to a children’s activity centre in Wales, said that “obviously we want the boundary vote to go ahead. I am going to say to every MP, ‘Look the House of Commons ought to be smaller, less expensive and we ought to have seats which are exactly the same size’.

“I think everyone should come forward and vote for that as it is a very sensible proposal and it will be put forward.”

The climbdown over Lords reform has thrown into doubt plans to reduce the size of the Commons from 650 to 600.

When he appeared before a committee of MPs earlier this year, Mr Clegg insisted there was no link between Lords reform and the boundary changes.

But Lib Dem Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne said that reform of the Lords and Commons were “part of the same constitutional package”.

Tim Montgomerie, editor of a website for Tory party activists, suggested losing the... zzzzz THE stepfather of missing Tia Sharp emotionally pleaded last night, “Just find my little girl”.

David Niles, 29, said the family were “in bits” as the search for the 12-year-old entered its fourth day.

Wearing a find Tia campaign T-shirt, he said: “How would you feel if it was your daughter?

“We’re in bits. I have not slept in four days. The police have done everything.”

Tia has not been seen since leaving her grandmother’s home in New Addington, southeast London, at around midday on Friday.

Mr Niles added: “She was good as gold. I know I am not her real dad, but I have been there since day dot. I’ve fed her and bathed her.

“When she left the house she shouted ‘Bye’ and ‘See you by six’.

“She always takes her phone but it was dead.”