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News, gossip and insight from PoliticsHome Editor Paul Waugh
Monday 14th January 2013 | 10:00
The Hung Parly Party
Grant Shapps has given a typically ebullient interview to the Independent's Andy Grice today.
He declared that the Tories should be the 'everyone, everywhere' party has a nice ring (echoing the EE everything everywhere mobile phone firm) to it.
But it is Shapp's line on future hung Parliaments that will catch many a Lib Dem eye. Grice writes:
The Tory chairman concedes that in 2015, his party will not be able to re-run its 2010 campaign scare stories that a hung parliament would create instability. "Everyone would accept we have created a remarkably stable government from a coalition. We all thought for years that would be impossible," he admits. Inevitably, there is a but: "I am convinced we could go further and faster and do better things for this country, a better future, a better economy if we governed on our own as Conservatives."
Many in Westminster remember the Conservative attack line at the last election - particularly as Clegg was doing well in the TV debates - that a hung Parliament would lead to hell in a handcart.
That particular fear factor will be a much less potent weapon in 2015.
And if Labour fails to make the breakthrough on an overall majority, the rosette above (dished out by CCHQ) could become less of a joke...
November 2010