London: Britain`s Liberal Democrat leader
Nick Clegg`s secret strategy to imitate Tory Leader David
Cameron at the next TV election debate has been exposed after
an aide left the plan in a taxi.
An embarrassing dossier compiled by chief party
strategists which stresses that Clegg must act more like the
Tory leader was found in a cab just hours after the first
debate last Thursday.
Entitled `I`m Not Here Right Now`, it gives a run down
of how Clegg faired during the last debate in comparison to
his rivals and advice for the next debate.
It tells Clegg to steer clear of the nuclear deterrent
argument and reads: "DC (David Cameron) talks a lot in the
language of values. We need to do this."
On the question of the Lib Dem policy to axe Britain`s
Trident nuclear deterrent, it spells out in block capitals:
"Avoid unilateral disarmament implication".
And the paper accuses Clegg of being "offensive" by
comparing assisted suicide to putting down a pet.
It contains harsh criticisms of his performance in
rehearsals, calls him "offensive", and state he speaks too
quickly, uses too much jargon and is too hesitant.
The plan asks him to distance himself from (Prime
Minister) Gordon Brown - who is characterised as "weird" and
"old politics" and launch a class war attack on the Tory
leader.
According to the Sun, tabloid, the dossier was
written by John Sharkey, chairman of the Lib Dem election
campaign team and Clegg`s strategist and communications
adviser, and left in the back of a taxi following a journety
from Parliament to North west London.
In a press briefing today, Clegg tried to laugh off
the mistake.
"I`m glad to see my top team preparing for government
by developing a habit of leaving secret dossiers in the back
of cabs.
"Look, I`ve always been advised just to be myself in
the TV debates and that`s exactly what I was and what I will
continue to be."
Clegg is also told in the dossier to "constantly stand
back" from his Labour and Tory rivals.
PTI
