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Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats are available – again – to form government Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats are available – again – to form government
(less than a minute earlier)
In the shadow of the Shane Warne stand at the Hampshire cricket ground, Nick Clegg is doing his stuff. He bounces. He skips. For a man whose party is about to be cut to shreds, the leader of the Liberal Democrats is remarkably chipper.In the shadow of the Shane Warne stand at the Hampshire cricket ground, Nick Clegg is doing his stuff. He bounces. He skips. For a man whose party is about to be cut to shreds, the leader of the Liberal Democrats is remarkably chipper.
There’s good reason for this. However the scythe cuts next week in the UK general election – and he could lose half the 56 members he now has in the House of Commons – both sides will need this man. “Look in their eyes,” he says. “They know they are not going to win.” Coalition is inevitable. And Clegg is now setting out the conditions for his party to enter Britain’s next government, Conservative or Labour.There’s good reason for this. However the scythe cuts next week in the UK general election – and he could lose half the 56 members he now has in the House of Commons – both sides will need this man. “Look in their eyes,” he says. “They know they are not going to win.” Coalition is inevitable. And Clegg is now setting out the conditions for his party to enter Britain’s next government, Conservative or Labour.
We have provided a heart to the Conservatives just as we would provide a brain to the Labour partyWe have provided a heart to the Conservatives just as we would provide a brain to the Labour party
He tells his supporters in the stands the only way to keep the United Kingdom on track is to vote Liberal Democrat. “We will cut less than the Conservatives. We will borrow less than Labour. We have provided a heart to a government of Conservatives just as we would provide a brain to a government of the Labour party.”He tells his supporters in the stands the only way to keep the United Kingdom on track is to vote Liberal Democrat. “We will cut less than the Conservatives. We will borrow less than Labour. We have provided a heart to a government of Conservatives just as we would provide a brain to a government of the Labour party.”
Clegg is available.Clegg is available.
Joining the Conservatives in 2010 was a disaster for the Liberal Democrats. Their leader delivered David Cameron the seats he needed to form a government and became deputy prime minister. But in the years that followed – years first of austerity but lately of recovery – support for the Liberal Democrats fell sharply.Joining the Conservatives in 2010 was a disaster for the Liberal Democrats. Their leader delivered David Cameron the seats he needed to form a government and became deputy prime minister. But in the years that followed – years first of austerity but lately of recovery – support for the Liberal Democrats fell sharply.
Clegg tells his supporters the party is clawing this back, fighting hard in 60 seats up and down the country. But a leading party strategist gave a more realistic battle plan to the press pack travelling down from London. The party’s primary focus is now on only 10 or 15 marginal seats, in the hope of holding a total of 30.Clegg tells his supporters the party is clawing this back, fighting hard in 60 seats up and down the country. But a leading party strategist gave a more realistic battle plan to the press pack travelling down from London. The party’s primary focus is now on only 10 or 15 marginal seats, in the hope of holding a total of 30.
“Everything,” the official said, “is so marginal.”“Everything,” the official said, “is so marginal.”
Those Lib Dem citizens of Hampshire, dressed warmly against the chill weather, are so damn nice. They dote on Clegg as he launches into his stump speech. “You don’t want to run the risk of our country lurching to the right, lurching to the left. So keep campaigning with every fibre of your being. Winning here is in our DNA.”Those Lib Dem citizens of Hampshire, dressed warmly against the chill weather, are so damn nice. They dote on Clegg as he launches into his stump speech. “You don’t want to run the risk of our country lurching to the right, lurching to the left. So keep campaigning with every fibre of your being. Winning here is in our DNA.”
He has a fine head that isn’t handsome. His smile is ready but cool. At times his gaze slides away into the distance and for a second he seems somewhere else.He has a fine head that isn’t handsome. His smile is ready but cool. At times his gaze slides away into the distance and for a second he seems somewhere else.
Related: Nick Clegg: education funding policy is Lib Dem deal-breaker in this electionRelated: Nick Clegg: education funding policy is Lib Dem deal-breaker in this election
His cheer is professional. He is bright and automatically combative. He can be charming. With a theatrical grimace he confesses to a BBC interviewer: “I’m not really a cricket follower.”His cheer is professional. He is bright and automatically combative. He can be charming. With a theatrical grimace he confesses to a BBC interviewer: “I’m not really a cricket follower.”
We sweep into Devon on the Lib Dem’s yellow Battle Bus. It isn’t cheap. A day on board plus lunch – a jacket potato with coronation chicken – costs A$1,500. Even so, it’s packed. As they criss-cross England the journalists play a game they call “Lib Dem bingo” ticking off Clegg’s clichés as they come over the radio: lurch, plucky, strut his stuff, old-fashioned, “a little thing called democracy” and the high-scoring “in hock to the swivel-eyed brigade of the right”.We sweep into Devon on the Lib Dem’s yellow Battle Bus. It isn’t cheap. A day on board plus lunch – a jacket potato with coronation chicken – costs A$1,500. Even so, it’s packed. As they criss-cross England the journalists play a game they call “Lib Dem bingo” ticking off Clegg’s clichés as they come over the radio: lurch, plucky, strut his stuff, old-fashioned, “a little thing called democracy” and the high-scoring “in hock to the swivel-eyed brigade of the right”.
The rules of coalition are different in Britain. Clegg doesn’t have to pretend to love the Conservatives with whom he is now – and after next week may once again be – in coalition. It’s almost open slather. He criticises ministers. He attacks policies. He calls the Conservatives heartless and birches hardliners in party ranks for their ideological grudges.The rules of coalition are different in Britain. Clegg doesn’t have to pretend to love the Conservatives with whom he is now – and after next week may once again be – in coalition. It’s almost open slather. He criticises ministers. He attacks policies. He calls the Conservatives heartless and birches hardliners in party ranks for their ideological grudges.
“The longer I’ve been in government with the Conservatives,” the deputy prime minister proclaims, “it’s become crystal clear to me why I’d never be a Conservative.”“The longer I’ve been in government with the Conservatives,” the deputy prime minister proclaims, “it’s become crystal clear to me why I’d never be a Conservative.”
The difficult game the parties are playing in the UK at the moment is to keep their hands clean while manoeuvring for coalition. As we headed into London, Clegg named the current price he is now demanding from Labour and Conservatives for his support after next Thursday’s poll: a great deal of new money for education and for them to have no entangling alliances either with the separatist Scottish National Party (SNP) or the anti-Europe United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip).The difficult game the parties are playing in the UK at the moment is to keep their hands clean while manoeuvring for coalition. As we headed into London, Clegg named the current price he is now demanding from Labour and Conservatives for his support after next Thursday’s poll: a great deal of new money for education and for them to have no entangling alliances either with the separatist Scottish National Party (SNP) or the anti-Europe United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip).
“We simply won’t enter into arrangements with two parties with whom we very, very fundamentally disagree. We are just not interested in governing at the behest of parties who have objectives which are diametrically opposed to our view of society.”“We simply won’t enter into arrangements with two parties with whom we very, very fundamentally disagree. We are just not interested in governing at the behest of parties who have objectives which are diametrically opposed to our view of society.”
For mile after mile we quizzed Clegg on what he meant by behest; how close an alliance with the SNP would make him flinch from backing Labour; what sort of arrangement would he tolerate between the Conservatives and Ukip?For mile after mile we quizzed Clegg on what he meant by behest; how close an alliance with the SNP would make him flinch from backing Labour; what sort of arrangement would he tolerate between the Conservatives and Ukip?
He declared the questioning absurd. The discussion was called rather abruptly to a halt by one of his staff. The bus pulled into a lay-by in the forest. A black armoured BMW appeared and the once and future deputy prime minister disappeared up the motorway.He declared the questioning absurd. The discussion was called rather abruptly to a halt by one of his staff. The bus pulled into a lay-by in the forest. A black armoured BMW appeared and the once and future deputy prime minister disappeared up the motorway.