The Spectator: W Menzies Campbell FCO Swansong?

Speculation in the New Statesman has triggered still more at IDD. This is essentially the story that Gordon Brown will cosy up to Ming Campbell and give him a prominent cabinet job, echoing the Blair-Ashdown pact of yore.

As a campaigner in an exceedingly close Labour-Lib Dem marginal and a citizen of a City plagued by dissembling yellow hordes of misery I wonder, in the remaining minutes or hours before Ming quashes this half-heartedly, what such a move from GB could mean for us? One comment at IDD was especially interesting.

HF said...
Beware an old man in a hurry. Ming either gets into bed with Gordon within next three years or his chances of a cabinet job (and his political career) are over. Ming will see it as part of the Ashdown/Blair discussions in the mid 90s. If the LD party let Paddy do it then why can't they let Ming do it now? He will also protect his MPs from losing their seats at the next GE.

Don't know who HF is, but I do wonder about that last bit and ask:

How will Ming protect his MPs by doing this? ... will (this) mean an electoral pact too? So Lab and Lib Dem candidates in marginals between them and/or in Lib-Con marginals could be stood down?

This could kill the Tories first, with the Lib Dems for afters. So would that be attractive to GB as stage two in the project to move the goalposts and take the ball away from other right wingers for ever?