Tory MPs attack LibDems...

A Tory MP says she would 'rather die' than form an election pact with the LibDems - an idea recently floated by Nick Boles, the newly elected Conservative MP for Stamford and Grantham.

It seems Mr Boles' suggestion of the Tories getting even more familiar with their LibDem Coalition partners has gone down like a lead balloon among both Tory grandees - as well as rank and file members of both parties.

Meanwhile, I had to chuckle at Tory MP for Wellingborough Peter Bone was on the Politics Show at lunchtime attacking the LibDems, saying they couldn't be trusted.

Self-confessed right-winger Mr Bone generously said he thought he could trust Labour, but not the LibDems!

Well, with friends like Mr Bone (once dubbed the meannest boss in Britain - after bragging of the poverty wages he paid his staff), who needs enemies...?

Low Voltage Cable switched off...

Chief LibDem backstabber Vince Cable seemed to have trouble staying awake just hours after he took over temporary leadership following Ming's resignation.

He appeared to doze off on The Daily Politics Show while being questioned by Andrew Neil.

The exchange went like this:

Andrew Neil: The leadership campaign has started and it’s only the prospect of an election that shut it down?

[Long pause]

Vince Cable: Sorry, what?

Andrew Neil: The leadership campaign had already…I know you’ve only been leader for a day but you’ve got to listen to the questions. That’s how it works.

Vince Cable: Well I was baffled by you… ...er, you weren’t terribly clear.

Poor Vince. Well, he is 64 you know, only two years younger than Ming who was seemingly judged to be past it by his colleagues at 66.

79-year-old LibDem Lord says Ming, 66, is too old...!

LibDem knives are going public to topple Ming Campbell now there's no prospect of a General Election until 2009. And leading the charge of the back-stabbers today is former Lincoln MP Dick Taverne.

Baron Taverne of Pimlico as he now prefers to be known, was on BBC's World at One programme to be first in the queue to call on Ming to do the decent thing.

With LibDem poll ratings down to as low as 11 per cent, Lord Taverne told unless Ming was replaced as Leader, the LibDems would go "down the drain" at the next election.

He also complains that "no-one takes any notice of us" with Ming as Leader.

LibDems were desperate for an early election. hoping they could replace Ming following the result. As predicted, as soon as Gordon Brown made it clear there would be no early election, the LibDem knives have appeared.

Lord Taverne was the first LibDem I've heard publicly say that Ming was too old to be Leader. He said the Libs needed someone with more "energy" and when asked if he meant a younger Leader was needed, he replied: "Yes".

A bit rich coming from a peer who will be celebrating his 79th birthday this week!

Ming's age - a mere 66 - is not and should not be the problem. It his lack of judgement and lack of ability to lead that's the problem.

Meanwhile, LibDem Deputy Leader Vince Cable hardly helped Ming's predicament by confirming that his position was "under discussion".

Ming's dilemma reminds me of what Councillor Jim Speechley said when he was finally forced to fall on his sword as Tory Leader of Lincolnshire County Council:

The Opposition may be facing me across the Chamber, but my real enemies are behind me...

Tories savaged non-domicile tax plan they have now adopted...

Tory hypocrisy has hit new depths over their much-derided domicile tax plan unveiled this week.

It turns out that the idea was first proposed by the LibDems a few years ago - when it was ruthlessly savaged as unworkable by, er, the Tories!

Blogging MP Tom Watson has discovered the incriminating Central Conservative Office document which explains why it's a non-starter.

Where did Tom find the document that leaves David Cameron with egg all over his face as he prepares to try to save his bacon with a make-or-break speech later today?

Er, would you believe on the Conservative Party's very own website!

I hear the sound of Cameron's flip-flops...

LibDems stage a photo-call...

Whoever thought this would be a good idea for a Conference photo...?

Tory MP says sorry to hospital after Cameron's false claims...

David Cameron's 'fightback' has floundered in its first day. A Tory MP has admitted that the Conservative Leader was wrong yesterday to claim that maternity services at his local district hospital were under threat.

Norfolk North West MP Henry Bellingham has confirmed that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn is not facing cuts as claimed yesterday by David Cameron.

Mr Bellingham has apologised to hospital workers for his Leader's remarks and said he wasn't even consulted by Cameron's staff before they were made.

Mr Cameron has yet to apologise for his gaffe.

Only last week, fellow Norfolk MP Norman Lamb was forced to apologise to his local hospital - the Norwich and Norfolk - after claims he made about kitchen hygiene were proved not to be true.

Lincs no longer the baddest council...

A couple of years ago Tory Lincolnshire County Council was in the running for "The Baddest Council in Britain" after a shameful catalogue of events which ended with former Leader Jim Speechley being sent to prison for abuse of power.

Now the Daily Mirror has found a new contender for the title in Lib-Dem Southwark Borough in London...

Soft-on-crime LibDems train new generation of grafitti kids...

Do you think local councils should take tough action against the graffiti vandals…? Well, guess how the soft-on-crime LibDems are spending thousands of pounds of public money in Newcastle…?

Rather than cracking down on the spray paint louts who lower the tone of neighbourhoods, the LibDems who run Newcastle City Council are running special classes for teenagers in graffiti arts skills.

When they've taught kids how to do graffiti properly, no doubt they'll claim a rise in the quality of their vandals...