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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Let Clegg be Clegg (just not toooo much)
April 10, 2011 11:41 AM
• [Apr 10] Stephen Tall writes: IF, like me, you're an admirer of Nick Clegg - his grit, honesty and openness - there will have been plenty to admire this week. If, like me, you occasionally despair of Nick Clegg - the frankness can turn into a gaffe - there will have been plenty to make you despair this week.
First of all, the Best of Clegg…
As Nicholas Watt notes in the Guardian, Nick has been 'finding his feet', and 'starting to show in public what he has always claimed in private - that he stands up to Cameron'. This has been clear from the Lib Dem pressure to modify the Coalition's plans for the NHS, Nick's personal support for fairer votes, and the announcement of his social mobility strategy (notwithstanding the predictable sniping) . .
And thirdly, that beleaguered as Nick might sometimes feel, the public does not mutely adopt the media's prejudices. In her interview, Ms Khan tells an illuminating anecdote:
A beaming middle-aged woman who has spotted Clegg on the train passes a note to his aide. It reads: "I couldn't resist such a unique opportunity to say, 'Stick With It!' The vast majority of us think the coalition are doing the right thing. We know it's tough but it's very necessary. All the best." … He thanks the woman graciously and just as I am wondering if it was a set-up, Clegg jokes that it was. He often gets support from the public, he says, but the difference is that these days people whisper their congratulations, "as if it's a guilty secret saying anything nice about Nick Clegg".
The media narrative is that Nick is the most unpopular politician in Britain. As I've pointed out before, that's not true: most Tory voters and a majority of Lib Dems rate him as doing a good job; Labour voters do appear to dislike him. So it is not that Nick is unpopular; it's that he's divisive.
For a politician, that's not all bad. At least it means people have an opinion. Eighteen months ago, Nick's popularity ratings were higher, but that was a sign of indifference, of powerlessness, not of strength. Nick has often spoken of his liberal, British values: tolerance and justice. There are other values, too: respect for tenacity, and a liking for the underdog to have its day.
In other words: stick with it, Nick
• Let Clegg be Clegg (just not toooo much) [Stephen Tall, Lib Dem Voice Apr 10
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