Leader Jack Layton says that by agreeing to roll over on the Tory throne speech vote, the Liberals have helped the prime minister govern without fear of being defeated in the Commons.

In a pep talk to party workers and MPs on Tuesday, Layton said Liberal voters should consider switching their allegiance to the NDP.

He said Canadians should not be impressed with Liberals for allowing the throne speech to pass - even though it rejects the Kyoto accord and suggests Canada should stay the course in Afghanistan until 2011.

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, who is an ardent defender of the Kyoto accord, was said by party insiders to favour defeating the government over its throne speech.

But he was talked out of it by his caucus, which argued that their party is not ready organizationally or financially to fight an election.

Harper has since made it clear that he expects a freer hand to run Parliament, and has threatened to use more frequent confidence votes that would force the opposition to either support him or trigger an election. Continued...