The cost of a psalm and a Clegg
The week’s political web-based discussions revolved around the result of the Liberal Democrat leadership contest. With Nick Clegg beating Chris Huhne by just 511 votes, in an election that had fewer votes than the one which saw Ming Campbell come to power, many questioned the strength of Clegg’s mandate.
Adam Boulton has a novel resolution to the conundrum: “As the vote was so close, it is only right that Messrs Clegg and Huhne should power-share, perhaps representing the Liberal-Dems on alternate weeks, or better still to co-write their speeches, create a double act and talk in unison. The Tweedle and Tweedle Show.”
With Clegg seen to be more of the Cameron ilk than Brown, Paul Linford warns Lib Dems to be aware of courting from the Right, referring to an Iain Dale post: “Nothing would please me more than top see a majority Conservative government and the Liberal Democrats reduced to a rump. But electoral arithmetic shows that a hung parliament is a real possibility - and the Conservatives and LibDems now have two years to work out how they would deal with it. I certainly don’t expect them to do it in public, but do it they must.”
Cicero is also opposed to a love-in with the Tories: “We should go toe-to-toe with the Cameroons and demonstrate why our commitment to Liberalism is deeper and better than the skin-deep ‘Liberal-Conservatism’ of David Cameron’s party. That will be what makes us a party that is genuinely national, genuinely radical and able to appeal to the whole of the United Kingdom.”
Within hours of assuming the role as party leader, Clegg was quizzed on his religious views. His admission to being an atheist led to concern from Linford.
This prompted Bob Piper to write: “Why on earth do Christians like Paul Linford have to be concerned about someone’s private religious beliefs, or lack of them? Should I be concerned if Clegg is a meat eater? I just don’t get it. If Clegg had just been elected Pope and declared he didn't believe in God then Christians might have cause for concern, but is Clegg’s crime of being a non-believer going to influence his opinions on the single European currency, devolution, or the war in Afghanistan? I don’t think so.”
Clegg’s first few days also saw a frontbench reshuffle, of which James Graham provides a useful guide.
Finally, there’s an interesting yarn over at Political Betting, where Mike Smithson feels he is £500 out of pocket by a senior Lib Dem.
This also appears at www.newstatesman.com/blogs/best-of-the-politics-blogs.
Adam Boulton has a novel resolution to the conundrum: “As the vote was so close, it is only right that Messrs Clegg and Huhne should power-share, perhaps representing the Liberal-Dems on alternate weeks, or better still to co-write their speeches, create a double act and talk in unison. The Tweedle and Tweedle Show.”
With Clegg seen to be more of the Cameron ilk than Brown, Paul Linford warns Lib Dems to be aware of courting from the Right, referring to an Iain Dale post: “Nothing would please me more than top see a majority Conservative government and the Liberal Democrats reduced to a rump. But electoral arithmetic shows that a hung parliament is a real possibility - and the Conservatives and LibDems now have two years to work out how they would deal with it. I certainly don’t expect them to do it in public, but do it they must.”
Cicero is also opposed to a love-in with the Tories: “We should go toe-to-toe with the Cameroons and demonstrate why our commitment to Liberalism is deeper and better than the skin-deep ‘Liberal-Conservatism’ of David Cameron’s party. That will be what makes us a party that is genuinely national, genuinely radical and able to appeal to the whole of the United Kingdom.”
Within hours of assuming the role as party leader, Clegg was quizzed on his religious views. His admission to being an atheist led to concern from Linford.
This prompted Bob Piper to write: “Why on earth do Christians like Paul Linford have to be concerned about someone’s private religious beliefs, or lack of them? Should I be concerned if Clegg is a meat eater? I just don’t get it. If Clegg had just been elected Pope and declared he didn't believe in God then Christians might have cause for concern, but is Clegg’s crime of being a non-believer going to influence his opinions on the single European currency, devolution, or the war in Afghanistan? I don’t think so.”
Clegg’s first few days also saw a frontbench reshuffle, of which James Graham provides a useful guide.
Finally, there’s an interesting yarn over at Political Betting, where Mike Smithson feels he is £500 out of pocket by a senior Lib Dem.
This also appears at www.newstatesman.com/blogs/best-of-the-politics-blogs.
posted by Owen Walker at 10:44 AM
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