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Nick Clegg should have been made foreign secretary Nick Clegg should have been made foreign secretary
(4 months later)
Nick Clegg boobed. Three years into the coalition it seems an odd thing to say: a statement of the blatantly obvious that seems somehow cruel and unkind, a bit like a Chelsea fan saying Fernando Torres was a waste of money.Nick Clegg boobed. Three years into the coalition it seems an odd thing to say: a statement of the blatantly obvious that seems somehow cruel and unkind, a bit like a Chelsea fan saying Fernando Torres was a waste of money.
But it has been highlighted all the more painfully by foreign secretary William Hague's declaration on Friday that Britain will demand a "red card" rule to give Westminster power to declare offside any European directive the governing party doesn't fancy implementing.But it has been highlighted all the more painfully by foreign secretary William Hague's declaration on Friday that Britain will demand a "red card" rule to give Westminster power to declare offside any European directive the governing party doesn't fancy implementing.
There may be merit in more consultation and possibilities for amendment at national level, but Hague's suggestion is primarily pandering to the Tory right's desire for a "pick-and-mix" EU in which, if they don't like a particular rule, they would be able to say: "It's my ball and I'm going home."There may be merit in more consultation and possibilities for amendment at national level, but Hague's suggestion is primarily pandering to the Tory right's desire for a "pick-and-mix" EU in which, if they don't like a particular rule, they would be able to say: "It's my ball and I'm going home."
Where the Lib Dem leader comes in is that Hague shouldn't be foreign secretary at all; Clegg should. The rule of thumb in coalition governments is that the leader of the junior party gets a major office of state, usually the foreign ministry.Where the Lib Dem leader comes in is that Hague shouldn't be foreign secretary at all; Clegg should. The rule of thumb in coalition governments is that the leader of the junior party gets a major office of state, usually the foreign ministry.
The Dutch foreign minister is Frans Timmermans of the Labour party, and in Germany the rule is so accepted that there was only a minor flurry over Free Democrat leader Guido Westerwelle getting the job, despite his incompetence in English.The Dutch foreign minister is Frans Timmermans of the Labour party, and in Germany the rule is so accepted that there was only a minor flurry over Free Democrat leader Guido Westerwelle getting the job, despite his incompetence in English.
In Britain, where ability by a foreign secretary to speak any other language at all is considered little short of miraculous, Clegg's fluency in Dutch, Spanish, French and German makes him supremely overqualified.In Britain, where ability by a foreign secretary to speak any other language at all is considered little short of miraculous, Clegg's fluency in Dutch, Spanish, French and German makes him supremely overqualified.
When Clegg visited Berlin with Hague shortly after the 2010 election Westerwelle made a point of praising his fluency. "We're not used to having British politicians who speak German better than ours do English," one aide added. His boss's embarrassment was as nothing to that of the monoglot and closet Europhobe Hague.When Clegg visited Berlin with Hague shortly after the 2010 election Westerwelle made a point of praising his fluency. "We're not used to having British politicians who speak German better than ours do English," one aide added. His boss's embarrassment was as nothing to that of the monoglot and closet Europhobe Hague.
Clegg's big mistake was made in those famous five days in May 2010 when the country went into moral meltdown over the fact that we didn't have a government. It was as if without a party in power, Britons were lost sheep while the media became headless chickens.Clegg's big mistake was made in those famous five days in May 2010 when the country went into moral meltdown over the fact that we didn't have a government. It was as if without a party in power, Britons were lost sheep while the media became headless chickens.
Despite the fact that since 1945 neither Labour nor Conservative have had a majority of votes cast, both still assumed a "divine right" to take turns in power, and considered a gap between the election and formation of a new government anathema.Despite the fact that since 1945 neither Labour nor Conservative have had a majority of votes cast, both still assumed a "divine right" to take turns in power, and considered a gap between the election and formation of a new government anathema.
Yet this is the rule rather than the exception in most countries used to coalitions that reflect a wide difference of political leanings among the population and form groupings that largely produce government by consensus rather than ideology.Yet this is the rule rather than the exception in most countries used to coalitions that reflect a wide difference of political leanings among the population and form groupings that largely produce government by consensus rather than ideology.
This is particularly true in Denmark, where no party has won a majority even of seats since 1909 and yet, as viewers of Borgen know, the parties regularly knock together deals that prevent one group getting its own way but roughly reflect the differences among the public they represent.This is particularly true in Denmark, where no party has won a majority even of seats since 1909 and yet, as viewers of Borgen know, the parties regularly knock together deals that prevent one group getting its own way but roughly reflect the differences among the public they represent.
The other example is Belgium, which went without a national government for a record 541 days between June 2010 and December 2011. Both may be small states, the latter barely holding together, but Britain too is devolved and, apart from sending troops to war, local government largely just gets on with it.The other example is Belgium, which went without a national government for a record 541 days between June 2010 and December 2011. Both may be small states, the latter barely holding together, but Britain too is devolved and, apart from sending troops to war, local government largely just gets on with it.
Clegg's fault was that in his hunger for a share of power he caved in too quickly and got too little, grabbing whatever positions the Tories would give him, but failing to seize for his party any of the great offices of state.Clegg's fault was that in his hunger for a share of power he caved in too quickly and got too little, grabbing whatever positions the Tories would give him, but failing to seize for his party any of the great offices of state.
To be sure, the Tory backbenches would have had kittens with a Europhile foreign secretary who had worked in Brussels, and Hague would have sulked forever, or at least until he was given the Home Office.To be sure, the Tory backbenches would have had kittens with a Europhile foreign secretary who had worked in Brussels, and Hague would have sulked forever, or at least until he was given the Home Office.
But it would have put down a marker that this really was a coalition and might have prevented the recent furore of "banging on about Europe", the one thing Cameron promised his party would no longer do.But it would have put down a marker that this really was a coalition and might have prevented the recent furore of "banging on about Europe", the one thing Cameron promised his party would no longer do.
Instead of claiming the one job made for him, Clegg settled for deputy prime minister, a vanity title with no constitutional basis which exists only occasionally and at the discretion of the prime minister.Instead of claiming the one job made for him, Clegg settled for deputy prime minister, a vanity title with no constitutional basis which exists only occasionally and at the discretion of the prime minister.
Cameron has shown his disdain by not even leaving him nominally "in charge" while he goes on holiday – a token nod even Blair made to the his vainglorious pseudo-deputy John Prescott – for fear of reminding his party they didn't win outright.Cameron has shown his disdain by not even leaving him nominally "in charge" while he goes on holiday – a token nod even Blair made to the his vainglorious pseudo-deputy John Prescott – for fear of reminding his party they didn't win outright.
Clegg's failure to play his poker hand properly in the complex bluff game of coalition politics may mean the apogee of his governmental career will be those few brief moments in the sun alongside Cameron in Downing Street's typically Blairite imitation of the White House's celebrated flower patch.Clegg's failure to play his poker hand properly in the complex bluff game of coalition politics may mean the apogee of his governmental career will be those few brief moments in the sun alongside Cameron in Downing Street's typically Blairite imitation of the White House's celebrated flower patch.
He, or his successor, needs to learn the lesson, in the not impossible (but also not guaranteed) chance that the Lib Dems should be in the same position come 2015. As for this parliament, it is far too late to complain. Cameron has the perfect riposte: I beg your pardon, I only promised you the rose garden.He, or his successor, needs to learn the lesson, in the not impossible (but also not guaranteed) chance that the Lib Dems should be in the same position come 2015. As for this parliament, it is far too late to complain. Cameron has the perfect riposte: I beg your pardon, I only promised you the rose garden.
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