Skipper

In the wake of the local elections and the horrifying drubbing the Lib Dems and the progressive left generally took over AV, there is a strange febrile atmosphere pervading. The Lib Dems aree seething according to Andrew Rawnsley. In a film he recently made for Channel 4 Vince Cable refused several invitations to allow Cameron and Osborne are 'decent men'. Rawnsley quotes one of Clegg's closest friends as follows:

"Nick has been reminded that the Conservatives are a ruthless political operation that in the end serves the interests of the Conservative party. This is also a salutary example of Cameron's ruthlessness – it reveals his true colours as a classic, ruthless Tory." There will be no forgetting and no forgiving the personal attacks on Mr Clegg for "broken promises".

Another 'very senior Lib Dem' declared:

"It was a really bloody stupid thing for Cameron and Osborne to do, especially when they were going to win anyway because the Yes campaign was so useless, For the Conservatives, having asked us to make these compromises, then to attack us for making compromises, is breathtakingly hypocritical. There's bound to be payback. Some of it in unpredictable ways."


Before Clegg is dismissed as a hopelessly naive politician who sold his soul for his deputy prime-ministerial car, I'd like to sort of agree with Mathew Parris in yesterday's Times who argued the man was a 'hero'. Whilst still not sure I accept it I can see the argument. A year ago the nation needed a government to deal with the economic crisis. The only person who could deliver it, given the hung parliament, was Nick Cleggg. He braved the contumely of his enemies and, more difficult, many of his friends, to step up to the plate. He could have turned down the offer of being in government, but if he had, surely Lib Dem claims to be a party genuinely seeking to govern would have been rendered unbelievable for the foreseeable future.

So he compromised to govern and was accused of betrayal by one and all. It's been an awful time for him and last Thursday it hit a new low. Anyone who follows British politics closely would have to have a heart of stone not to feel sorry for the guy.