Alex Salmond once said that in Scotland the clegg is a nasty little insect. I guess I am with him on that. However, I have another perspective on Nick Clegg.
When the result of the General Election was announced we were treated to a gut wrenching game of suitor. Nick Clegg was the Prince and he had to chose between the Conservative slipper or the Labour slipper.
This was such an easy decision that could have seen the LDems catapulted to political glory, and who knows, perhaps a chance of real power in 2015 if they impressed the electorate enough.
Formed in 1988 the LibDems have never been in power, or even close. The last Liberal PM was Lloyd-George until 1922 when he was succeed by the Helensburgh Tory, Andrew Bonar-Law.
Clegg was the king-maker. One way or another he could have sided with ‘stupit wummin’ Brown giving his coalition a 9 seats advantage over Conservatives and a Deputy PM. Christ! that was close? Or, he could side with Conservatives giving his coalition a 105 seat advantage and a Deputy PM job.
Never having tasted any kind of power or even coming close, for Clegg this was a ‘no brainer’; coalition with the Conservatives, DPM and a 105 seat advantage – the world was to become his oyster.
What a stupid, stupid man. He had a great opportunity and he allowed his thirst for power to overhaul any sense of reason or judgement.
In taking this decision, Nick Clegg has catapulted his party back 100 years into the dark ages. It is doubtful if the LibDems will ever recover from their current position as arguably the 5th party in the UK, behind UKIP and the Greens. What a come down from the heady day when he shared a green at the side of Parliament with Cameron. Oh how the mighty haven fallen.
The LibDems have become the Tories perpetual scapegoat – why did they not see that coming. Their ‘U’ turn on tuition fees will haunt them to the grave. Clegg will try to persuade the British electorate that he and his party were the voices of moderation; how they managed to water down and clip the wings of the Tory extremism. If Clegg thinks the electorate will buy that then he has just made a second stupid mistake – they won’t.
What should he have done? For me this is important because the SNP may find themselves in a similar position in May 2015. What a tragedy if Nicola did a ‘Clegg’. I am betting she is a lot smarter than that. Of course, unlike the LibDems the SNP have been around a lot longer and they have been in Government. So, here’s the thing:
Looking at the numbers, Clegg should have said we are NOT willing to go into coalition with either Tory or Labour. We are a party in our own right. We have our own manifesto and we will not risk being the whipping boys (and girls) for another party. We will work with both Tory and Conservative because WE ARE THE DEAL BREAKERS – we have sufficient votes to defeat either party. If we like what Labour are saying they will get our vote – likewise the Conservatives. However, BEFORE we commit to any support we will always make sure that it is a LibDem decision and if it works out we will get the credit for our part.
It really was that simple. What the hell was he thinking about. He could have come to the General Election as a hero of the moment, the ringmaster of the political arena the man who took only the credit and not the blame. Instead, he comes to the General Election a broken man leading a broken party. I can’t be the only one or the first one to spot that. Many in the LibDem ranks must also be thinking that. Many in the country will be thinking that and,
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WILL BE PUNISHED SEVERELY BY THE ELECTORATE FOR THEIR SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS AND THIRST FOR POWER AT ALL COSTS
I know that Nicola will not make this mistake. I know that Alex Salmond is too shrewd a politician to make that mistake in 2015. Neither has that same thirst for power because they already have it.
All the SNP have to do now is to maneuver themselves into that position in 2015. That will be a difficult ask? – actually, I think it may be a lot easier than we imagine. In an earlier blog I explained my thinking on how our weaknesses in the referendum will be our strengths in the General Election. I will continue to push out that message until everyone is sick hearing it – then I will be content.
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