I'd hoped that this coalition would grow on me. I was waiting for the action, not the words because we all know that words mean only what the politicians want them to mean - see Clegg's sudden discovery that what the Libdems and the Conservatives meant by 'Big Society' were the the same thing after all and that they really shouldn't have been arguing about it in the run-up to the election, oh goodness me no, we're all friends now.
I didn't like Clegg before and I like him even less now. He's an in-the-pocket, paid-for, dyed-in-the-wool EU f/wit and that, by extension, means he doesn't tell the truth. Like all British politicians over the decades he doesn't tell the truth about the government stance on the EU; the government pursue their own agenda for their own reasons while telling the people that it doesn't really mean anything and to go back to sleep and not worry our little heads about it - this is big boys' stuff. I wonder what successive generations of politicians have been promised in return for selling the country down the river? I wonder if Ted Heath died a happy man?
The other thing I don't like about Clegg is how he seems to have taken over Carswell and Hannan's idea of the Grand Repeal Bill for himself and his Party so they will get any kudos if (big 'if') anything of any consequence is actually repealed.
Cameron was weak in Opposition and he's weak now - a strong leader of the Conservative Party, sure of his position and a true belief in the principles of the Party, wouldn't have been so quick to fall into bed with a bunch of eco-internationalists who retain a belief in social engineering and wealth redistribution.
The only thing the LibServatives agree on is that Labour's repressive laws have gone too far and need rolling back. I'll eat my red hat if they do anything about RIPA or the Civil Contingencies Act and as for the Human Rights Act which the Conservatives repeatedly pledged to repeal and put in their election manifesto, well, we can forget that too. I wouldn't count on changes to the Digital Economy Bill or anti-terror legislation either. As for cctv, they're not actually taking any of them down they're just saying that any more must be paid for by local councils and that any revenue from them will now be forwarded to central government.
Am I cynical? You bet. I have more faith in the new Home Secretary, Theresa May, when she says they're considering repealing Labour's 24-hr licensing laws and taking the decision whether to prosecute or not away from the CPS and giving it back to the Police. Whoever thought that 24-hr drinking would make the British adopt 'a European cafe culture' should be sectioned.
One other point is that all these 'little nudges' from the Red Tories and the Red LibDems will bring is into line (or, if you prefer, 'harmony') with the grand concept of the EU. Layer upon layer of bureaucracy with everything driven by 'localism' but all that does is drive actual, real power away from the people to an unelected body in Brussels. Nothing will get rid of the fact that we are ruled from Brussels, whether we elect our Police Chiefs or not, or have local petitions about our MP. I've written before about the likes of Hannan and Carswell being 'useful idiots' - I'd rather not believe it but when their ideas dovetail nicely with the overall scheme for the EU, you can't really blame me.
I've just remembered something else. Who remembers when Clegg said that the Conservative Party in Europe was allied to a bunch of 'nutters and homophobes' since it left the EPP?
The leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt, wants to abolish the nation state. He wants a 'United States of Europe' - taking over responsibility for justice and security policy, taxation and creating 'a European army'. The LibDems are also in bed with the Feminist Initiative from Sweden - one of the party's policies is to abolish marriage and create ' genderneutral' names. Then we have the Latvians - one of its leaders equated gays to paedophiles and the party regards homosexuals as 'degenerates'. By Clegg's own reasoning he's not only nutty and homophobic but hypocritical too. I wonder how long it will be before Cameron's Conservatives re-join the EPP?
The upshot of all this is that no, I'm not applauding Clegg or Cameron.
References:
Panem et circenses - vote for an English Anthem
Telegraph - Clegg: tell us what should be scrapped
Guardian - Clegg: democracy shake-up
Daily Mail - Clegg: Human Rights Act
Daily Mail - Clegg: Grand Reform Act
Guardian - Theresa May speaking to the Police Federation
Old Andrew Pierce article
