65% of Liberal Democrat members see themselves as left-of-centre

By Tim Montgomerie

LibDem delegates in Liverpool have just voted AGAINST the Coalition's free schools policy and we shouldn't be surprised. A new YouGov survey of 566 Liberal Democrat members finds broad support for Nick Clegg's decision to form a Coalition with the Conservatives but it also reveals that, at heart, the party leans Left:

• In a hypothetical hung Parliament situation where the Liberal Democrats could form a majority government with either party, and both offered equally good deals, 46% of Lib Dem members would prefer a deal with Labour. Only 26% would go with the Conservatives.
• Lib Dem members reject the idea of an election pact with the Conservatives at the next election by 21% to 66%.
• On a left right scale 65% of Liberal Democrat members identify themselves as being left-of-centre.

More at YouGov.

The Guardian leads today on Mr Clegg's pledge that his deal with Cameron is a one term deal. There'll be no electoral pacts of the kind floated, first, by Mark Field MP and, last week, by another Tory MP, Nick Boles. This may be the case now but the attitude might change if LibDems like Chris Huhne are facing annihilation at the next General Election without a non-agression pact with the Conservatives.

> Earlier today ConHome noted the Coalition's latest concessions to the Liberal Democrats.