Across the pond

The Times has a scoop today, which makes disclosures that ‘risks opening a rft at the heart of the Lib-Con coalition’.  They have been told by insiders that Vince Cable made two telephone calls to Gordon Brown over the weekend urging him to work for a Lib-Lab pact and telling him he would rather work with Labour than the Conservatives. Rupert Murdoch will chuckle with delight when he reads it.

It is likely to be the first of many stories in the right wing press, looking for lively copy and pouncing on any signs of cracks in the coalition.

But my guess that this one will help Clegg and Cameron at tomorrow’s LibDem confernce which has to decide whether to back this coalition. Because it is one further indication that the leadership did not rush into bed with the Tories, but also vigourously explored the alternatives.