Sir Keir said, “There is no pact, everyone knows there is no pact.” Sir Ed said, “Without a pact now, there will be no pact in the future.”
Labor sources have accused the Tories of a political ploy to divert attention from the local election campaign, for which the Conservative headquarters is prepared for losses.
The percentage of council seats provided by political parties may vary between election cycles, partly reflecting the strength of local party associations.
But the sharp decline in Labor candidates in the Southwest has led to suspicions from Tory sources, given the traditional strength of the Liberal Democrats in the region.
The success of the Liberal Democrats in the 2010 election, which allowed them to form a coalition with the Tories, was built in part on a series of victories in the Southwest.
Lib Dem officials see the region as a key aspect of their return plan for the next election, which includes targeting so-called Blue Wall seats in solid Tory rural constituencies.
There is no public official election pact between Labor and Democrats, but Tory figures suspect some private coordination between election strategists in both parties.
In the recent by-elections in North Shropshire, sparked by the resignation of Tory MP Owen Patterson, both parties have emerged as candidates.
However, Tory Party officials say Labor has refrained from investing limited resources in party money and shadow cabinet members’ time, given that the Liberal Democrats were in a better position to win.
In the end, the Liberal Democrats won, overturning the vast majority of Tories and raising questions about Boris Johnson’s leadership in the party.
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