Nick Clegg seal of approval as Bridget Fox eyes slim margin

Published: 16 April 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

OF ALL the constituencies in the country, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg chose ultra-marginal Islington South to launch his national party manifesto on Wednesday.

Setting out his stall from shiny offices in Finsbury Square, Mr Clegg gave an added endorsement to his party’s candidate, Bridget Fox.

Ms Fox lost to Labour MP Emily Thornberry by just 484 votes last time around, making Islington South one of the Lib Dems’ most winnable seats.

Speaking after the launch, Mr Clegg said: “Our manifesto sets out clearly how the Liberal Democrats would make our country fairer. Where better to do this than in the constituency of Islington South, whose people have been let down and failed by Labour for 13 years?”

He added: “I was proud to launch our manifesto alongside our excellent local candidate Bridget Fox. 

“We share a common goal of making our country fairer by cutting taxes for people on low and middle incomes, investing in smaller class sizes, breaking up the banks to rebuild a greener and balanced economy and properly cleaning up our rotten politics.”

Mr Clegg was joined by Brent East MP Sarah Teather, Inverness MP Danny Alexander, who wrote the manifesto, and Lib Dem finance spokesman Vince Cable.

Mr Cable made much of the fact that he believes the Lib Dems are the only party to include detailed figures in their manifesto and the only one to be upfront about planned cuts.

He said: “We’ve tried to do an itemised list of things we actually propose to cut... We’ve specifically identified £15billion of cuts in public spending.” He added: “I fully accept this isn’t enough... There will have to be an axe put to defence procure­ment.”

Ms Fox, who has been pounding the streets from morning to night, said her party had canvassed 100 per cent of Islington South. 

“We’re finding a very high recognition of my name on the doorstep,” she said. “People are seeing the incredibly desperate measures Labour are taking – saying the Conservatives are in second place lacks all credibility. People just don’t believe it.”