Wikileaks: Ex-MP Lembit Opik's views about Nick Clegg

Former Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik called party leader Nick Clegg "thin skinned", according to more Wikileaks revelations.

He accused Mr Clegg him of surrounding himself with "insiders" to avoid "direct confrontation", say reports.

The conversation is said to have happened between Mr Opik and the US ambassador Robert Tuttle.

It has been leaked in documents being put into the public domain by website Wikileaks and newspapers.

During the discussion, the former MP for Montgomeryshire is also said to have accused Nick Clegg of initially dismissing one of his ideas and then stealing it.

The confidential cable reporting the conversation was sent in March 2008, the year Mr Opik failed in his bid for the presidency of the Liberal Democrats for a second time.

It says: "In Opik's view, Clegg has surrounded himself with insiders who carry out his wishes without consulting others, thus allowing Clegg to avoid direct confrontation".

The memo continues: "Clegg derided one of Opik's suggestions in front of the Lib Dem cabinet, then adopted it without telling Opik.

"When Opik confronted Clegg about it, Opik says he was immediately whisked away by a Clegg crony who begged him not to make a scene in public."

Mr Opik lost his mid Wales seat in May's 2010 general election and has since appeared on television programmes including I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here and Come Dine With Me.