No room for principle in my Bill, says Clegg

Memories of yesterday's Keep Cornwall Whole campaign meeting with Nick Clegg seem to be producing slightly different versions of the DPM's approach to a Devonwall constituency. Jennifer Forbes, Vice-Chair of Cornwall Labour Party who attended the cross party meeting, says in a press release:

"When I asked the Deputy Prime Minister what he would do to amend the bill to prevent a so-called "Dornwall" constituency being created I was told special exceptions for Cornwall or elsewhere could not be made in the bill because where will that end. This was infuriating because the bill already makes exceptions for the Scottish Isles, for the boundaries of Wales and Scotland and - by limiting the geographical size of seats - the Highlands as well. Clearly the Lib Dem leader has no appreciation of Cornwall's unique cultural and historical identity. Mr Clegg also said that 'You cannot piggy back an issue of principle (such as one of Cornish national identity) on to a Bill like this', although the whole Bill is a piggy back on the Alternative Vote referendum."

A somewhat different emphasis to the more optimistic note reported by North Cornwall Lib Dem MP Dan Rogerson on BBC Radio Cornwall yesterday. Meanwhile Keep Cornwall Whole campaign organiser Adam Killeya emails to say:

"I was going to email to tell you how it went but I see you already have a pretty accurate version from Dan's interview on your blog. No promises at all, except the unexpected promise that he would definitely mention it to Cameron."

Looks like Adam might have his hands full trying to maintain cross-party unity on this. Anyway, now it's all eyes on the amendments. Who will be first?