Howard Elston, our Westminster reporter, reveals vital new facts over the Cash for Access Row
Libdems throughout Britain and Worcestershire have been rocked to their very foundations by revelations that party chiefs were giving lobbyists up to £250,000 to meet with Nick Clegg.
The cash hand outs, the party said, were ‘not legally or literally bribes but money edged inducements’ .
The Bribetime Shock would mean anyone in the country could sit with Clegg and get top tips about how to drool slavishly at the feet of his Tory masters while making believe he has not betrayed everyone who voted for his party two years ago.
I have personally secretly taped a Libdem co financial boss tell me in a hush hush meeting at a Premier Inn: ‘If you won’t take a quarter of a mill, how about some Alton Tower tickets and a night out with the good lady wife at a Sunday carvery?’
I said nothing and left the room to file this exclusive report.
Nick Clegg is close to the reins of power and was at the very centre of government when PM David Cameron woke him at 4 am to hear Britain had virtually pulled out of the EU.
A spokesman from Mr Clegg’s office said last night: ‘Nick is appalled at this supposed cash offer. But with this year’s ISA season coming to a close and the Halifax giving a great two year fixed rate, he wants to know just how much money he has or hasn’t got at 3rd April.’
The Tapegate tapes also reveal how much the unnamed crooked finance supremo would dole out to those who want to endure the ordure of a meeting with other Libdem politicos:
Vince Cable: Nothing
Chris Huhne: Nada
The red haired guy who looks like Noddie when Osborne speaks in Parliament: Nada thing
Any Birmingham Libdem who has been doing nothing for the city and is about to lose his seat after five hollow years: Zipski
This is the second cash for visits scandal to hit Westminster in a weekend. On Saturday I revealed that a bragging new Tory fiscal boss boasted the party would accept six figure sums to grab lunch with Eric Pickles.
A political expert, Phil from Leeds who also runs a second hand car dealership near Eland Road, said: ‘I grabbed a bite with Mr Pickles last week as he came Oop North to shut down Yorkshire County and sell it to the Chinese. He is a terrific guy and I bought him a Harry Ramsden franchise for his family home.’
‘I also have great four door Nissans on the forecourt.’
