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Christy Clark 801 Plot Revealed

The Plotting Begins
CP

Just as a new poll suggests that the B.C. Liberals are closing the gap with the NDP in the provincial election race, a movement within the Liberal Party is busy plotting to oust Christy Clark, Global News reported.

The 801 movement — named to represent the minute after polls close May 14 — has, according to Global News, already signed up party members and business leaders committed to "begin the process of putting pressure on Clark to step aside."

There is consensus among pundits that Clark has a tough race in her own riding of Vancouver-Point Grey and there have been rumblings from the business community that they were not happy with her governance, said Gary Mason in The Globe and Mail:

"It didn’t go unnoticed, for instance, that one of the Liberals’ most ardent supporters over the years — the Independent Contractors and Business Association of B.C. — had decided not to run a pre-election, provincial advertising campaign to help the party out as it had in the past. It chose to aid candidates at the local level instead – a move that was interpreted as a clear shot at Ms. Clark’s leadership."

Revelations on this planned coup come the same day as a telephone poll conducted for The Times Colonist reported that, "41 per cent of decided voters would back the B.C. NDP if an election were held today, compared with 37 per cent for the B.C. Liberals".

These numbers reduce the NDP's lead to a tight 4 points, compared to as much as 17 points reported in polls when election campaigning began.

The tightening polls mean we can expect a ramping up on both sides of negative campaigning. "It will just get nastier from here," said Mike Smyth in The Province.

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