Friday 8 April 2011

Clegg's unwitting self-parodies could ruin the Lib Dems for good

The moment Nick Clegg entered in to a coalition with the Conservative Party, he must have known he was undermining his own party, mustn't he?

Maybe not. The most concerning element of Cleggy's activities is that he seems almost blissfully unaware of the self-parody he and his party are becoming.

Clegg has most recently been exposed by the fast-track job controversy: he was so busy championing a clamp-down on such elitism that he apparently forgot that he had not only benefited personally as a young up-and-comer but also exploited the same system in the course of his own political career.

So, Nick Clegg will fight for a political cause he does not believe in to enhance his own repute? This is not news.

He has long-since assumed the role of principle mascot for AV, despite having dismissed the proposed-system as "a miserable little compromise" before the election.

The Lib Dem party stance, then, was that truly Proportional Representation was the aim. So what has changed, other than the offer of a little power in exchange for their principles?

I can't help but feel cheated by the 'bright new hope' that Clegg had promised to be. At least I didn't vote for him. Of course, under our current system, I couldn't have done. Nor could I have done so under AV. My vote would have been disregarded in either, and Chloe Smith would still be my Tory MP.

Clegg is playing the politics game with big boys now, and he seems to be enjoying the attention, and the opportunity to dabble with quirky little nuances such as spin and flat-out dishonesty, rather like a child with a new set of toys. Similarly child-like is his apparent lack of concern for those around him, including his party and their loyal followers.

He may be enjoying playing Deputy Prime Minister, a title he has not earned, but he is wrong to neglect the effect of his u-turns and faux pas.

To perform on request is to be little more than a clown, and he is in danger of turning the Liberal Democrat party in to a circus, with David Cameron as guest ring-master. The more principled Liberals will not stand for this, and nor will their voters.

Mr Clegg, I feel, needs to take a long hard look at himself, and make some decisions. If he leaves it too long, those decisions will no longer be his to make.

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