On Friday morning there was unanimity, as far as Clegg was concerned Cameron had taken the only path available to him, it was regrettable but his hand was forced.
This morning, he’s blown his top as the Observer reports and as the man himself made perfectly clear on the BBC.
Meanwhile Douglas Alexander appears to have been wheeled out with the impossible job of pushing a Labour line that doesn’t, as far as I can make out, exist.
Whether Cameron has done the right thing or not remains to be seen, I think he has. However what is fairly certain is that he has done the popular thing.
Politicians get very sniffy about populist policy decisions, this is no surprise, because as far as they’re concerned, it is our job to accept their decisions, not their job to act on our wishes. But of course doing the popular thing makes you, well, popular.
The opinion polls make it clear that Cameron has significant backing for his actions, not only in his use of the veto, but also that most people want him to go further. Working on a +/- ratio of 2% in the accuracy of the figures it is clear that the British people have had enough of the EU.
Clegg seems to have chosen to have a scrap to appease his party’s members, while at the same time Cameron is lambasted by leading LibDems for doing exactly the same thing.
He needs to be very careful. Cameron has had a taste of the crowd cheering for him and he may get a taste for it, especially as he’s had nothing but brickbats since he took the job on.
Clegg’s actions since the election has led to an enormous drop off in support for him and his party, whereas Cameron has seen a significant bounce in the last few days. Cameron has also demonstrated that he will fight back when he’s backed into a corner.
The LibDems are on life support and the next election is likely to see the plug pulled, Labour are in disarray and whilst still on level terms with the Tories (having been in front before the latter half of the week) don’t have the stomach, squad or the stamina for an election fight right now.
If Clegg forces the issue, and Cameron mounts a strong Eurosceptic campaign, he could easily cash in on his new found bounce, that would probably bounce higher if he indulged in the sort of grandstanding we’ve seen from under threat Sarkozy over the last few weeks. A snap election with Cameron taking advantage of the current mood and the weakness of both the LibDems and Labour could see the Conservatives return a very slender majority, but one that could also be supplemented by the Eurosceptic Ulster Unionists.
What has led me to think this way this morning is seeing the smoke from the LibDem broadside clearing and a crowd of the LibDem great and good sticking the boot in before adding ‘but a general election now would be a disaster for the economy’.
Are you sure you want to call his bluff?
This smacks of desperation to me, just as Cameron has picked a fight and will need to see it through to the end, if Clegg and his pals want to pick a fight, they too need to deal with the consequences of that – it is a fight they simply cannot win. So just like Cameron they need to put up with what is on offer or walk away.
Clegg is playing with fire, and he’s doing it on the back of a subject where their opinions and policies are completely at odds with the wishes of the majority of the electorate.
No doubt, like all politicians who get booted out, the LibDems would act with incredulity that people had a different opinion to them, and despite having little support would still stand on the sidelines shouting that what they want is what people want.
It’s going to be an interesting few months. . .
Clogg is becoming inceasingly irrelevant. I really hope his rabble push the nuclear button and bring about an election. As you rightly point out it is likely to result in an electoral wipeout for these buffoons. These people need to remember that they lost last time around. They have been the tail wagging the dog for too long.
Whether the Conservatives can actually get a majority remains to be seen. The sewer party under Milliboy are really rather pathetic as an opposition. Milliboy almost makes Kinnochio look good. However I think the message has been filtering through to Tory HQ that a substantial number of voters have had enough of the EU and don’t like this drift to an unelected dictatorship under a bunch of second rate technocrats. I think they will still need to reach some form of accomodation with UKIP if they want an outright majority.
As for Cameron and “Britain’s isolation” as Clogg sees it. I am not overly concerned. Sarkozy may very well be plotting his revenge, but I think events will overtake him. I see the eurozone heading for a break up and they don’t appear to have the ability to prevent it. They may very well want to punish Britain but they probably wont get the chance. If they push for a damaging regime of taxation against the city it may very well push Britain over the edge and they will lose that 45 Million a day we cough up to this monster.
For Cameron to say no to them it would have had to been a pretty horrendous proposal because he is in my view Ted Heath lite. I think they rest of the eurozone countries are now in a fast sinking ship and for once we are not being sucked down with them.