Liberal Democrat activists want coalition with Labour, not Tories

The Liberal Democrat Conference is not starting well for Nick Clegg.  Charles Kennedy has attacked him on tuition fees and he is having to backtrack on his talk of "savage" spending cuts.

One thing that will play well with his activists, however, is his new anti-Tory unit at LibDem HQ.

A ComRes poll for BBC1's Daily Politics reveals the left-leaning instincts of the average Liberal Democrat acivist.  ComRes asked: "In the event of a hung parliament at the next election, and if the Liberal Democrats held the balance of power, which party would you prefer the Liberal Democrats to support in Government?"

Only 16% said the Conservative Party and 31% said the Labour Party.

Tim Montgomerie

2pm: Stephen Tall of LiberalDemocratVoice has asked me to point out the different results they received in response to a survey of their own readers:

"If the result of the next general election is that the Lib Dems hold the balance of power in a ‘hung parliament’, what do you think should be the party’s response if Labour/Conservatives offer some form of deal which includes the promise of a referendum on electoral reform?

And here’s what our LDV party members’ panel said:

• 25% – Steer well clear of any form of negotiations or coalition with Labour or Conservatives
• 5% – Be ready to negotiate only with Labour on that basis
• 6% – Be ready to negotiate only with the Conservatives on that basis
• 61% – Be equally ready to negotiate with either Labour or the Conservatives on that basis
• 3% – Don’t know / No opinion."