MILIBAND AND CLEGG SET TO QUIT
NICK CLEGG headed back to London today to quit as Liberal Democrat leader after his party was obliterated in an election nightmare beyond its worst fears.
Cabinet ministers Vince Cable, Ed Davey, Danny Alexander and David Laws all suffered defeats as the party was crushed to about 10 seats, losing nearly 50.
The Lib-Dem leader survived the political bloodbath, clinging on to his Sheffield Hallam seat, with 2010 Conservative voters believed to have backed him to keep out Labour.
“It is now painfully clear that this has been a cruel and punishing night for the Liberal Democrats,” said a clearly shell-shocked Mr Clegg.
“I will be seeking to make further remarks about the implications of this election, both for the country and for the party I lead and for my position in the Liberal Democrats when I make remarks to my colleagues in the Liberal Democrats later this morning when I return to Westminster.”
In London, a series of bombshell results saw the Lib-Dems lose six out of their seven seats.
Business Secretary Vince Cable, former MP for Twickenham, was the highest-profile scalp as voters, many scared at the prospect of the SNP propping up a Labour government, deserted the Lib-Dems in droves after five years in coalition.
Energy Secretary Ed Davey was beaten by the Conservatives in Kingston & Surbiton and ashen-faced justice minister Simon Hughes saw his 32 years in Parliament ended as he lost in Bermondsey & Old Southwark.
Tom Brake was the only Lib-Dem left standing, holding on in Carshalton & Wallington.
Former Lib-Dem leader Lord Ash- down last night pledged to “eat his hat” on live TV if an exit poll for the BBC, raising the spectre of his party facing its worst result since 1970, possibly clinching just 10 seats, proved correct.
But as the results rolled in it was quickly clear that gaining even double figures would prove a struggle for the Lib-Dems.
In Scotland, former leader Charles Kennedy lost in Ross, Skye & Lochaber, leaving Parliament after 32 years, and Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander, a member of the “quad” which steered the Coalition, was heavily defeated in Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey as the SNP swept to a series of stunning victories.
Mr Alexander spent time on the LibDem “differentiation” strategy towards the end of this Parliament, culminating in the delivery of an alternative budget in March.
But as Chief Secretary he had also become a public face for austerity spending cuts.
Chancellor George Osborne voiced sympathy for his former deputy Mr Alexander but stressed voters had backed his party’s policies rather than the Lib-Dems and highlighted that Mr Clegg’s party had sought to distance itself from some of the Coalition’s record in government.
Lib-Dem Cabinet Office minister Mr Laws was ousted in Yeovil and if Tessa Munt fails to hold on in Wells, there will be no female Lib-Dem MPs left.
Lord Ashdown, the Lib-Dems’ campaign chief, told his party’s routed army of activists: “Last night was a bitter night for Liberal Democrats. Perhaps most bitter of all, the results do not do justice to your hard work, dedication or passion.”
Appearing on BBC TV, he admitted the result was “humiliating” beyond his party’s worst fears, telling presenter
Andrew Neil: “You invent the instruments and adjectives of pain and I will agree to them.”
He accused David Cameron of “unleashing a campaign of fear”, fuelling the rise of the SNP, and said he now had a “nation to heal”.
Lord Ashdown argued that if “Mr Clegg goes”, the Deputy Prime Minister had put the interests of the country first and the Lib-Dems “would be back”.
Former party president Tim Farron, who was re-elected in Westmorland & Lonsdale, is widely expected to put his name forward to lead the party, with other possible contenders including Norman Lamb, who held on in Norfolk North, and Alistair Carmichael who won in Orkney & Shetland.
Mr Lamb said the results were “very painful” and defended the “successful” period of government.
He highlighted experiences in Germany and other European countries where smaller coalition parties had suffered badly in polls.
The Lib-Dems’ share of the vote was hovering around eight per cent, about a third of its 2010 result, after voters punished them for joining forces with the Tories in coalition, and for the U-turn over university tuition fees.
Many Lib-Dems have lost their £500 deposit, which is not returned to candidates who get below five per cent of votes cast.
‘Last night was a bitter night for the Lib-Dems. The results do not do justice to your hard work’
Lord Ashdown