Morning Report – May 11th

We’re a year into the coalition, and Nick Clegg is desperately trying to make the case for the Lib Dems in government after his electoral thrashing last week. There have been some fairly dreadful metaphors employed by Clegg already, not least “muscular liberalism” (a phrase borrowed from Cameron) and a “louder Lib Dem voice”, which sounds a little like IDS. Of course Labour is also facing an anniversary – our first year in opposition – and we’ve tried to sketch out how we’re doing so far.

Later today at PMQs Ed Miliband will no doubt want to raise the issue of the anniversary, but how he raises it will be telling. There are two schools of thought on coalition handling – either turning our focus to the Tories, or keeping our foot “on the throat” of the Lib Dems. Surely it is possible to do both, but the easy points to be scored at PMQs will come from whacking Nick Clegg. Will Miliband resist the temptation? He also has David Willett’s extraordinary “rich kids get extra places at universities” scheme (and subsequent u-turn) as ammunition today. Cameron had better be well briefed today…for a change.

And in Wales, Labour leader Carwyn Jones says Labour will govern alone, after winning 30 seats last week (one short of a majority). Labour have been talking with other parties recently, but will govern without former coalition members Plaid Cymru.