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We should not prop up Labour says Lib Dem MP
A former contender for the Liberal Democrat leadership has come out against Labour if the Lib Dems hold the balance of power in the next election.
Mark Oaten, the Winchester MP, also said he considered switching allegiances to the Conservative party before deciding against it. Mr Oaten said: 'I would be reluctant to prop up a fourth term Labour government.
'I'd need a lot of convincing that they had new, fresh ideas and not just leave our country dithering.'
The MP was speaking on the South of England regional section of BBC1's The Politics Show. Mr Oaten, who is standing down at the next election, went on to say he did not think it was a good idea for the Lib Dems to support Labour despite the fact PM Gordon Brown is offering proportional representation.
He said: 'If you did a deal with Labour on PR and then you prop them up for a fourth term and they prove, as I think they would do, to be a very unpopular government for four years then you're going to get the blame for everything during that period of time.'
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Friday 10 February 2012
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