23 Nov 2010

William names the day – and upsets the Lib Dems

Not the date all the Lib Dems wanted.

I hear that some Lib Dem senior ministers have been grumbling around Whitehall that William and Kate naming the day as 29 April and making it a Bank Holiday might distract attention from their cherished Coalition concession, the 5 May referendum on the Alternative Vote (AV).

Some senior Lib Dems felt that their main hope of winning the battle was a late focus on the issue that no-one had wanted to look at before.

Of course, they could end up basking in the after-glow of a refreshed and rejuvenated population that has been street-partying like crazy.

Or it may be that not many people were ever going to focus on the issue and the Royal Wedding changed nothing.

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