PM reveals his clash with Clegg

Published on 09/08/2012 01:56

DAVID Cameron said he had a “fundamental disagreement” with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg over the government’s constitutional reforms, but insisted it would not stop them working together in 
coalition.

The Prime Minister rejected Mr Clegg’s claim that the Conservatives had broken the coalition “contract” by failing to support House of Lords reform, forcing the Liberal Democrat leader to abandon his plans for a mainly elected upper chamber.

Interviewed on LBC 97.3 radio yesterday, Mr Cameron insisted the only deal had been for the Tories to allow a referendum on AV voting for parliamentary elections in return for Lib Dem backing for a redrawing of the parliamentary boundaries.

“There’s a fundamental disagreement here in that I profoundly believe that the link was between the AV referendum that we promised to deliver and the boundary changes that I think are right because you should have equal-sized seats across the country,” he said.

“Now Nick takes a different view. He’s entitled to do that, but as I say, this disagreement is not going to get in the way of getting on with what really matters, which is getting our economy moving.”