Strangely enough, the row over who-said-what-to-when in the Lib-Dem / Labour / Paddy Ashdown row might have some impact of the other row de jour - over whether there should be a referendum over the new constitutional treaty.
Ming had been thinking about playing nice to Brown and not calling for a referendum on the new text - with a view to coalition negotiations after the next elections.
Our new poll shows that Lib Dem voters are among the keenest for a referendum. And Lib Dem MPs sat on narrow majorities (particularly out west) do not want to go round the doorstops having people saying that (a) they have wriggled out of their previous support for a referendum and (b) are cosying up to Gordon ahead of a coalition. Total nightmare.
Ming will now want to be seen to take a tougher line on Labour for a bit. Perhaps an early test of how tough exactly will be the question of a referendum.
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