Nick Clegg's effort at team-building with Tory MPs ends in farce

A planned charm offensive by Nick Clegg to build ties with new Tory MPs has backfired spectacularly.

A getting-to-know-you meeting was a "disaster from beginning to end", said one Conservative, after the Deputy Prime Minister failed to turn up and guests had to dash off down Whitehall - twice - for Commons votes.

Angry MPs eventually abandoned the event at Mr Clegg's office overlooking Horse Guards Parade.

About a dozen Tories, all elected last year and working as ministerial aides, were asked to the drinks-and-nibbles reception on Tuesday evening, intended to build bridges and create a sense of camaraderie for when the Government hits trouble, one said.

But they arrived to find a similar number of Lib-Dems had been invited, apparently after complaints that their leader was holding talks with their Coalition partners.

Mr Clegg, meanwhile, was stuck in a Budget planning meeting, leaving Cabinet Office minister Mark Harper as host. After 15 minutes of sipping drinks and "looking at Mr Clegg's rather bizarre art choices", the MPs were told they were needed in the Commons for a vote on the Scotland Bill.

"We all marched off for a vote that was won by 480 to nine - there was no point us being there," said another guest. The group walked back, only to find Mr Clegg was still stuck in talks.

Half an hour later Mr Harper announced another vote. "We set off down Whitehall but had to sprint this time," the MP said. "Some of my colleagues are not built for running.

"After that we decided Clegg could go f*** himself and went for a drink."

Sources close to Mr Clegg said the meeting would be rescheduled.