Lib Dems get the Mark Oaten blues

It's one of the questions Liberal Democrats hate. Are you targetting Labour, or Tories? They say the left/right split is dead, that Lib Dems have an individual appeal of their own.

But in terms of election strategy it's often the key to a successful campaign. Know your enemy. In public Nick Clegg dismisses talk of easy to win soft Tory votes in the South of England. He sees the political tide more likely to sweep him to victory in the Labour seats of the Midlands and North.

One look in the conference hall here in Bournemouth might suggest another story. The place is a sea of blue. And the talk is of cuts in public services, rowing back from plans for scrapping tuition fees. It's clear the party believes it can take on the Tories too.

So why mention Mark Oaten? Well, before The Scandal he got quite a name for his Conservative friendly policy initiatives. Some Tories used to say to me, he's really one of us. Reading his book - tactfully titled "Screwing Up" - it's clear he met a great deal of opposition within the party.

When the famous "Orange Book" came out before the 2004 conference, an unknown MEP called Chris Huhne took some flak for what looked like Tory friendly policies.

Then the suggestion of Lib Dems offering tax cuts caused consternation. Facing the next election the blue rinse is much more evident.

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