Another day and another Twitter based embarrassment for the Yes to AV campaign. After smearing the other team they have had to fire one of their staffers for tweeting:

“Says in the Holy Qu’ran Mohammad used to get his neighbours to vote by AV which of his 4 wives he’d shag each night.”

Twitter’s “similar too” algorithm throws up:

(Click to see full size)

Always judge a man by the company he keeps.

If you thought the government coalition negotiations were complex and a turn up for the books, Guido thinks it would have been fascinating to have been a fly on the wall when this campaign coalition against the LibDems was brought together. Here is the first look at the list of “patrons” of the NO to AV campaign who under the presidency of Labour’s Margaret Beckett will represent the campaign for next May’s referendum:

• David Blunkett MP
• Lord Falconer QC
• Lord Prescott
• Lord Reid
• Emily Thornberry MP
• Ken Clarke QC MP
• William Hague MP
• Steve Norris
• Baroness Warsi

Seeing old enemies Hague and Prezza united against the LibDem dominated Yes-2-AV campaign will be interesting…

Nick Clegg is responsible for guiding the AV bill through Parliament, he backs it, as does his party. Guido has seen the riveting packs that Cowley Street have started sending out to their branches to prepare for the AV campaign, but rather sneakily and possibly illegally, the LibDems are pulling a clever little ruse:

On the fundraising form that is not just for LibDem members, but the whole Yes to AV campaign, it clearly asks people to make out cheques to the “Liberal Democrats”, not to the official pro-AV campaign. Not only is it completely inappropriate for the Deputy Prime Minister to be attempting to fund-raise for his party on the back of a piece of legislation that he is responsible for, the form is completely deceptive. The forms are also definitely for use before the Bill has gone through the House as they talk about the referendum “next year”. Sneaky.

Guido wonders how many people will fall for their trick of pretending to give money to the Yes to AV campaign when they will actually be lining the LibDem coffers. Dishonesty on a LibDem leaflet? Surely not…