Huhne and Clegg clash over dossier
Updated on 19 November 2007
The two contenders for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats exchanged harsh words in a TV interview yesterday.
Chris Huhne was confronted with a dossier apparently compiled by his campaign team entitled "Calamity Clegg" and detailing alleged policy shifts by his rival, Nick Clegg
Choosing to disown the document, Mr Huhne nevertheless went on to launch an assault on his opponent.
'With respect Chris, this contest is not about me meeting false challenges that you put up to me.'Nick Clegg
Speaking on BBC1's Politics Show, he said: "I don't support describing anybody else in the party a calamity that's absolute nonsense, but I do think we've had a series of flip-flops on this issue from Nick."
In response Mr Clegg said: "With respect Chris, this contest is not about me meeting false challenges that you put up to me.
"It's about me saying what I think the Liberal Democrats need to do to the country, for the country, to make Britain a more liberal place."
He added: "I think there is a danger in an internal contest, particularly in these latter stages when people get terribly excited, of saying things to each other which, let's remember our opponents will use against whichever of us becomes leader.
Last night Chris Huhne's campaign team apologised for the "wholly inappropriate" title of the dossier but insisted their candidate had not signed off on it.
