Richard Spring MP
Member of Parliament for West Suffolk

Two party politics in England is now really apparent. In Crewe and Nantwich, the Liberal Democrats appear to be squeezed out despite their usual by-election good performances.

Yesterday Nick Clegg unveiled the Lib Dems ‘City manifesto.’ Apparently there were very few people in attendance. Despite the launch being held at Bloomberg HQ, located in the heart of the City of London, there was little interest from the press and there was even talking of downgrading the launch to a smaller room!  

By contrast, Conservative City Circle yesterday held a hugely successful event with George Osborne as the guest speaker. There was a maximum capacity of 1,200 people in attendance and George Osborne was hugely well received.

The comparison is obvious.

When Harold Macmillan said “Events, dear boy, events” as the determining factor in politics, he was not perhaps entirely correct. 

Nobody could have forecast that Gordon Brown would turn out to be so indecisive, a reputation arising in part through his unwillingness to call an election last autumn. Equally, last summer Conservatives went through a rather wobbly period, but now David Cameron is looking more prime ministerial each day that passes. Poor Ming Campbell was replaced for being too old by Nick Clegg, who has been a disappointment, and whose recent utterances on his sexual score card are just embarrassing. When Boris Johnson began his London mayoral campaign, many wrote him off; nobody today is doing so. So much of the conventional wisdom in the past nine months or so has been turned on its head. 

Quite frankly this is a brilliant time to be a Conservative Member of Parliament. After years toiling in the wilderness of opposition, winning at the next General Election is in sight. The Party is full of ideas, energy and fresh thinking, and so many outside Parliament want to be part of this process.

We go into recess from today, so blogging will be suspended! 

Oh what a lovely war! The battle over the Lisbon Treaty went in an exactly opposite direction from what was expected. One or two Tories voted with the Government, largely because of opposition in principle to referendums; there was a reasonably sizeable Labour revolt but… the Liberal Democrats, oh dear! This is the most universally pro-federalist party which drowned in a sea of confusion and contradiction.

Conservative MPs were sent a bizarre email by Nick Clegg, which was the source of immense mirth. You see little groups of Liberal Democrat MPs in a huddle in the corridors of the Commons, not exactly looking ecstatic. Nick Clegg and the word blancmange seem to go together.

Liberal Democrat supporters have an admirable concern for civil rights and for devolved government, and often have a developed social conscience. Lions like this appear to be led by donkeys.

As I reflect on this week, one can only speculate as to what misjudgements the donkeys will make next. It has all been so unexpected.

As they say in Suffolk ‘The last vicar was the best vicar!’ Come back Ming/ Charlie/ Paddy… all is forgiven!