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Nick Clegg, and a very generous audience

September 26, 2012 4:33 pm

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What Nick Clegg needed to do today was give a plausible explanation of what on earth the Lib Dems get up to in government. What we got instead was a self-justificatory effort from a leader more interested in winning back his dwindling base – and pulling the knife out of his back – than speaking to the general public. He would have been better served standing on stage intoning “we matter”, wearing an “I heart Dave” t-shirt for thirty minutes.

At least then people might have got the message.

As it was, he waffled about with a few vague metaphors (colours Nick? Are we six?) before leaving the stage to a feeble war cry of “let’s go for it”. A weak ending to a pitifully short speech.

But he’s in government, he definitely mentioned being in government. He promised tough decisions. So there would be policies, right?

Errr, no.

In policy terms it was light. Featherlight. Of course because Nick Clegg is now the minister for nothing (how is constitutional reform going Nick?) he doesn’t really have anything to announce. The rabbit pulled from the hat was more road kill than fluffy pet – a pledge to oppose any attempt to cut the 45p top rate of tax. A bit late now of course, coming just six months after voting through another top rate tax cut. Congratulations Nick, you’re standing steadfast, six months too late, against something that no-one has suggested.

Bravo.

You’re the people’s champion.

Elsewhere he explained how he would lead public opinion (perhaps by apologising for decisions from two years ago) and visibly winced when he mentioned the budget.

But the piece de resistance was still to come. Clegg made a big play of saying that the past, was the past. Stellar. We cannot return to the past, noted Nick, showing a hitherto unseen knowledge of physics and philosophy. But then he undid it all – by announcing Paddy Ashdown as the 2015 Lib Dem co-ordinater. ‘Onwards to the future friends, ignore the past, look! The future! (which may contain significant elements of the past that are more popular than me).

Just. Remarkable.

Empty.

At least when Cameron gives a speech he actually says something. I don’t know how they’ll fill 90 seconds on the news tonight based on this meagre fare. But Nick did at least do one thing right. After his awful (Blue+Yellow=Green – all the best jokes are about primary colours) joke he turned to the assembled crowd, the last room in Britain in which he is guaranteed unqualified applause – if not support – and said “What a generous audience”.

Indeed. Too generous. but thanks for the headline, at least, Nick – if nothing else…

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  • http://twitter.com/johnringer John Ringer

    Before anti-Labour concern trolls come rushing in saying that Mark is being disingenuous by deriding Clegg for not having any policies while Labour itself is short on concrete suggestions of its own, it bears remembering that

    THE
    LIB
    DEMS
    ARE
    IN
    GOVERNMENT

    and…

    LABOUR
    IS
    NOT
    IN
    GOVERNMENT

    The Lib Dems joined the Coalition on the basis that they would be able to curb Tory excesses and introduce some liberal policies. We saw a sum total of one Lib Dem policy introduced (the completely anodyne Pupil Premium) , while they allowed countless Tory policies through with barely a peep (tution fees, NHS reorganisation, defence cuts, removing the ring-fence around SureStart…etc)

    They have yet to prove that their being in government, smoothing the Tories’ ride, is achieving better outcomes than if they had been outside the government, truly holding a Tory minority administration to account. Clegg had a chance to do that today and he bottled it.

    Labour, on the other hand, has no obligation to put down concrete policies until the next general election, which is probably still another 2.5 years away. Ed Miliband didn’t make a deal with the devil, Ed Miliband is not Deputy Prime Minister, Ed Balls is not Chancellor. Any policies we put out there will be mere suggestions.

    Clegg, on the other hand, has an opportunity to act immediately to revive our economy or make this country fairer. If he proposed a policy, it would have a decent chance of becoming  law in the lifetime of this Parliament. But he’s not proposing anything of note, and that is a betrayal of everyone who voted Lib Dem in 2010.

  • http://twitter.com/johnringer John Ringer

    Before anti-Labour concern trolls come rushing in saying that Mark is being disingenuous by deriding Clegg for not having any policies while Labour itself is short on concrete suggestions of its own, it bears remembering that

    THE
    LIB
    DEMS
    ARE
    IN
    GOVERNMENT

    and…

    LABOUR
    IS
    NOT
    IN
    GOVERNMENT

    The Lib Dems joined the Coalition on the basis that they would be able to curb Tory excesses and introduce some liberal policies. We saw a sum total of one Lib Dem policy introduced (the completely anodyne Pupil Premium) , while they allowed countless Tory policies through with barely a peep (tution fees, NHS reorganisation, defence cuts, removing the ring-fence around SureStart…etc)

    They have yet to prove that their being in government, smoothing the Tories’ ride, is achieving better outcomes than if they had been outside the government, truly holding a Tory minority administration to account. Clegg had a chance to do that today and he bottled it.

    Labour, on the other hand, has no obligation to put down concrete policies until the next general election, which is probably still another 2.5 years away. Ed Miliband didn’t make a deal with the devil, Ed Miliband is not Deputy Prime Minister, Ed Balls is not Chancellor. Any policies we put out there will be mere suggestions.

    Clegg, on the other hand, has an opportunity to act immediately to revive our economy or make this country fairer. If he proposed a policy, it would have a decent chance of becoming  law in the lifetime of this Parliament. But he’s not proposing anything of note, and that is a betrayal of everyone who voted Lib Dem in 2010.

  • http://twitter.com/johnringer John Ringer

    Before anti-Labour concern trolls come rushing in saying that Mark is being disingenuous by deriding Clegg for not having any policies while Labour itself is short on concrete suggestions of its own, it bears remembering that

    THE
    LIB
    DEMS
    ARE
    IN
    GOVERNMENT

    and…

    LABOUR
    IS
    NOT
    IN
    GOVERNMENT

    The Lib Dems joined the Coalition on the basis that they would be able to curb Tory excesses and introduce some liberal policies. We saw a sum total of one Lib Dem policy introduced (the completely anodyne Pupil Premium) , while they allowed countless Tory policies through with barely a peep (tution fees, NHS reorganisation, defence cuts, removing the ring-fence around SureStart…etc)

    They have yet to prove that their being in government, smoothing the Tories’ ride, is achieving better outcomes than if they had been outside the government, truly holding a Tory minority administration to account. Clegg had a chance to do that today and he bottled it.

    Labour, on the other hand, has no obligation to put down concrete policies until the next general election, which is probably still another 2.5 years away. Ed Miliband didn’t make a deal with the devil, Ed Miliband is not Deputy Prime Minister, Ed Balls is not Chancellor. Any policies we put out there will be mere suggestions.

    Clegg, on the other hand, has an opportunity to act immediately to revive our economy or make this country fairer. If he proposed a policy, it would have a decent chance of becoming  law in the lifetime of this Parliament. But he’s not proposing anything of note, and that is a betrayal of everyone who voted Lib Dem in 2010.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZPXYLRVP4XOIGGDJWAL6HUO7U4 David

      The point about setting the agenda, and of the minority partner making policy “announcements” at conference is an interesting one: I suspect Nick Clegg and the other LD Ministers would consider it akin to playing poker with the Tories with an open hand.

      Consider: LDs make promise at conference for change they want to see enacted.  Tories chew over proposal, and even if they do not reject it out of hand (which they might do) will have the opportunity to suggest a contradictory policy to their conference alongside another, perhaps even preferred, policy change in an area which will be controversial for LD supporters.

      Any “next stage coalition” discussions which I would expect will take place to determine the tasks/priorities for the next parliamentary year will always require compromise.  As LDs will be honour-bound to bend over backwards to meet a pledge they make to supporters (they don’t want to make that mistake again, after all), Tories will have the opportunity to “grudgingly” give way on their own contradictory policy, but only in exchange for “quid pro quo” support for their preferred policy, even though this may be more controversial to the LDs.

      This would seem to be the student fees or boundary change situation all over again.

      Given the choice, I’m personally happier to see the LDs demonstrate the art of negotiation and long-game above the siren call of achieving perhaps two days publicity through the headlines resulting from an eye-catching but ultimately unimplementable (or at best implementable only at great cost) policy.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Graeme-Hancocks/1156294498 Graeme Hancocks

       I agree with what you write.

      I have also noticed that there are a clutch of “anti Labour trolls” who must sit poised, ready to pounce and write negatively about Labour.  I can’t imagine hanging around libdem or tory websites to post anti tory/anti libdem comments. Rather pathetic really.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Graeme-Hancocks/1156294498 Graeme Hancocks

       I agree with what you write.

      I have also noticed that there are a clutch of “anti Labour trolls” who must sit poised, ready to pounce and write negatively about Labour.  I can’t imagine hanging around libdem or tory websites to post anti tory/anti libdem comments. Rather pathetic really.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Dan.Filson Daniel Filson

    A shockingly poor, lame speech, ending in bathos. Clegg is not a natural orator, and stresses every line which resuts in monotony. But the feeble jokes got mild titters and the rest was heard in lost dead silence. A dead man walking.

  • AlanGiles

    Of the seven articles published on LL with today’s dateline (28th September) SIX have been about the Lib Dems. The other one was Robert Marchant’s weekly rant about the “dangers of the far left”.

    I think, Mark, you should be grateful that you, too, have a generous audience.

    • http://twitter.com/johnringer John Ringer

      Maybe because it’s Lib Dem conference at the moment? Y’know, just a guess…

      Also, why do you even post here? You clearly despise Labour. Can we maybe have internal discussions without you and your ilk butting in and telling us about how much you hate us? It’s not like we go over and troll Lib Dem Voice or ConHome.

      • AlanGiles

         John. With all due respect some of you are real drama queens. I’ll say it again – I do not, and never have “hated” anybody – that is a theatrical emotion for children.

        I am just pointing out that of seven articles only one (and that very loosely) is about Labour. Marchant’s weekly tirade about Reds under the bed, and when you are my age it takes more than some ridiculous nebulous threat like that to frighten you. A pity he wasn’t around in the 1950s – Senator Joe McCarthy would have been able to make use of his (limited) talent.

        “Me and my ilk”? Well, considering I was a member from 1963 to just a few years ago and supported Labour, despite many reservations till 2010, I think that entitles me to air my views.  I am sorry that I feel unable to fawn to the current top table If you don’t like them you don’t have to read them you know!

    • Alexwilliamz

      The Lib dems are in government. Labour is in opposition it seems to me pretty natural to see this website dominated by responses. From what is coming out there seems not that much to be positive about in terms of decent left of centre noises from the conference. Almost all of the political circus is geared around these conferences and so there is not much new stuff to discuss. Once conference season is over I’m sure we will return to our usual deep, balanced and highly informed discussions.

  • telemachus

    Main message is that he is running scared from Ed Balls

  • Attlee45

    Still, at least Little Nicky can sing a rainbow…

  • postageincluded

     ”Mummy, what is that man for?”

  • Alexwilliamz

    Did I hear this speech right? He seemed to be playing the victim card because they are in gvt. Is he trying to get someone’s sympathy? I really would like to know exactly how he sees himself, some kind of bulwark against rabid tory policy? Like the NHS reform or free schools etc etc? For all the complaints about the lack of specific policy from Ed at least he has set out what he believes in. All we  have collected from Clegg so far is an impoverished concept of social mobility and the fact that his favourite colour is green?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray

    My view is that we are in opposition so have every right to oppose

    What I think this showed is that the LibDems have placed themselves right of centre within British politics, and in sticking so close to the coalition, will lose the ‘dustbin’ vote next time. Hopefully this will see them go back to their constituencies and prepare for oblivion

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray

    My view is that we are in opposition so have every right to oppose

    What I think this showed is that the LibDems have placed themselves right of centre within British politics, and in sticking so close to the coalition, will lose the ‘dustbin’ vote next time. Hopefully this will see them go back to their constituencies and prepare for oblivion

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