Strong and Independent Liberal Democrats reject Brown's attempt to co-opt Peers

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 22nd Jun 2007

Lord Ashdown

Gordon Brown wanted to appoint Liberal Democrat peers to his ministerial team, it has emerged. The Prime Minister-in-waiting offered former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown the post of Northern Ireland Secretary, and wanted to appoint other Lib Dem peers to non-cabinet roles, but Menzies Campbell and Lord Ashdown rejected the proposal. Lord Ashdown told the BBC, "I told him [Brown] that I could not conceivably consider such a position unless my leader told me that he thought it was a good idea and even if he did, I didn't." This comes just two months after Menzies Campbell rejected overtures from David Cameron about putting forward a joint Lib Dem - Tory candidate for London mayor. There is debate in the papers and political blogs about whether this was a genuine attempt by Brown to form a 'government of all the talents' (there are rumours he has approached Tories and non-party figures too) or simply a cheap gesture to look open and pluralist that he knew would be rejected. Liberal Democrat MP Phil Willis said on Radio 4's Today programme that he believed the offer was "mischief-making" by Mr Brown. There are signs that Brown's offer has angered Labour activists. One poster on the Labourhome blog accused Brown of showing "utter contempt" for the MPs who nominated him, adding: "We spend hours knocking on doors to keep Lib Dems out and they get invited into the Govt".

Sir Ming Campbell said "This just goes to show how important the Liberal Democrats are in British politics. Three party politics is here to stay. We have turned down offers from David Cameron and we have turned down offers from Gordon Brown. We are an independent party determined to oppose this failing government. We are happy to co-operate where Liberal Democrat policies can be adopted, such as on the constitution, but no Liberal Democrat will serve in Brown's new government."