Another Day At The Lib Dem Conference

Another day at the Lib Dem conference, another waste of time. The Lib Dems are really improving on the success of yesterday's conference. Will Cleggers keep his seat?

#easterclegg

The Labour Party have had the egg-cellent idea of selling a 'completely hollow' chocolate Nick Clegg 'guaranteed to leave a bad taste in your mouth'. I have ordered one for Seb, my sadly and madly Lib Dem housemate. I think Labour has been too kind to Cleggers.

Lib Dems Helping Those In [Insert Area Name Here]

The Lib Dems are really struggling at the moment especially in the East Midlands. Last week Elvis beat the Lib Dems so they were last in the Clifton North by-election, not a great place to be. But it has got a lot worse with another camapigning mess up by Michael Mullaney, the parliamentary candidate for Bosworth. On the Lib Dem website it says that Micahel is an 'experienced local campaigner in Hinckley and Bosworth.' However he cannot be that experienced because he forgot to insert the name of his local area into the Lib Dem stock campaign literature. Nick Clegg is having a great few weeks.

Book Worms Disown Clegg

Books worms across the country are fed up with Nick Clegg, arn't we all. So much so that his biography by Chris Bowers has descended rapidly in price from £17.99 to £6.99 and then to £4.99. I would advise those who really want this book to wait a few more days because retailers will be giving them away soon. Poor Cleggers

A good spot by JP Floru.

Boris: Nick Clegg is Dave's Condom

Boris today has come out and said that Nick Clegg is Dave's condom. No seriously he has, only Boris could say that though. I bet Dave is rather embarrassed with Boris discussing his sex life.

Boris said of Nick Clegg“he’s there to serve a very important ceremonial function as David Cameron’s lapdog-cum-prophylactic protection device for all the difficult things that David Cameron has to do that cheese off the rest.” Boris continued by saying “He’s a kind of shield. He’s a lapdog who’s been skinned and turned into a shield to protect.” I don't know what Cleggers will take issue with most, the lap dog or condom description. 

Of course Boris has a history of taunting Nick Clegg, previously describing him as "wobbling jelly of indecision and vacillation." To be fair to Boris I don't think Nick can challenge that.

Boris is a great expert in politics and sex.

Muppet's Pledge

Julian Huppert the Lib Dem MP for Cambridge has kicked off the new year pledges season for those in Parliament. Julian has an amazing reputation in my home county of Cambridgeshire where he is known as Julian Muppet. This name is not surprising when he has backed the scrapping of Trident, is massively for the EU and has as his top priority the statutory registration of hairdressers. Maybe we'll cross path over the weekend at YBF? Anyway, this is what he has pledged.

Can we trust Julian on his pledge though considering the last one he made has gone down in history.

At least he is not making this one with Cleggers who is having to make do and mend more than his clothes.

Nick Clegg Calls Young People C*$ts

Nick Clegg, as if the tuition fees saga didn't ruin his credibility with young people, has called 18-24 year olds c*$ts in an interview.

I'm sure he is deliberately trying to lose his university seat of Sheffield Hallam. 2015 awaits.

Weekly Poll Lowdown

Is Nick Clegg safe? Did you think he would be got rid of? Well 75% of you thought he was safe, at least for the moment. 31 of the Great British Public voted in my poll, please keep voting.

Yes	19%
No	52%
No, but he will be got rid of before 2015	23%
Unsure	6%

I think Nick Clegg is probably safe-ish. I asked this question after Mr Gove said there was a plot afoot from Lord Oakeshott to get rid of the Lib Dem leader. The problem for Nick Clegg is he is one of only a small number of 'orange bookers' in a social democratic party. But who would replace Nick Clegg and make the coalition work. No one really. The Lib Dems don't want an election now, they'd be wiped out, and I doubt they have the funds either.

Watch out, Lord Oakeshott is about.

However, Nick Clegg is probably an electoral liability. Everyone hates him, there's a good chance he could lose his seat. I think the coalition in the last few months before the General Election will end so that the two parties can get a truly separate identity again, although Tory MPs are pushing for this definite identity as soon as possible. During this time they may seek a new leader so the Liberals can get back some sort of support. It's possible under such a scenario to go back to a level of support before the 2005 General Election with 20 to 30 seats in Parliament.

So Nick Clegg safe for now, not so in 2015. Watch out Cleggers.

Vote in the next poll.

Crunch Time

Today the EU Referendum Bill has been published today. The Majority of the Conservative Party, including many Cabinet Ministers, were going to vote for the Queen's Speech amendment against Dave's wishes. He had to do something and he made the right decision.

So what does the future lie in store. Douglas Carswell today said that all he wanted from David Cameron is an acceptable situation; where Carswell could say to the PM 'that will do'. The moment this Bill gets brought forward there is virtually irrefutable proof that the Conservative Party wants a referendum on the EU. Some MPs like Ken Clarke will vote against this Bill because they still secretly want us to join the Euro, but I would think over 95% of the Party will back it.

'That'll do, Prime Minister. That'll do.'

But is this Bill enough? Well it promises the referendum in 2017, yet the majority of opinion wants it just before 2015 or on the election day itself. Personally I think just before will be better because, despite the money saved if it is on the same day of the General Election, it will be very hard for people to concentrate well enough on two major campaigns on one day. I thus personally think some MPs will still push forward with the 2015 plan and try with amendments to get it in, a sizeable number will sign up to this but not the majority of the Party. 

The main question is will this Bill get through in this parliament? I think taht because of the electoral pressure currently on the Lib Dems they will allow government time to be used for the Bill. However, the Lib Dems will not support the Bill itself, despite being the only party that promised it in 2010*.

The Lib Dems are Liars. Cleggers should be ashamed.

However, the big question is will Red Ed back the referendum? He may have to even if he doesn't support it. He'd be on the wrong side of history and he must know that. A few Labour MPs will  back the Bill anyway and Red Ed could offer a free vote on the matter. But I think he will be indecisive, which may pan out worse than not backing the Bill.

As a last word Tory MPs, make sure you back this Bill. 

Crunch Time for Red Ed on Europe. If he makes the Wrong decision it could be over for him.

*They're great at keeping promises these Liberals, they give decent politicians a bad name.

Double Whammy Tax

The Lib Dems have hit the headlines again today for wanting to tax anything ‘precious’. Essentially Cleggers wants a fleet of taxmen to enter people’s homes and tax any jewellery, paintings, antiques and anything worth much. It seems the Liberal’s insatiable appetite for taxing anybody who has any success, something they are lacking nowadays, means he wants to tax everything twice. The dreaded Double Whammy Tax.

I don’t think this is right for two reasons. Firstly it means that taxmen can intrude into people’s homes and if they are stopped from entering the owners can be fined. Also is it right when you have bought an item, which will have some sort of direct or indirect tax attached to itm to tax it again? I think not.

No wonder then Vince Cable, who is by no means the most sane out of the nutty Lib Dems, has called the idea ‘whacky’ (at least he has some realisation on how popular his party is). However this is not so with all important party members, Tessa Munt MP thinks this is ‘an interesting idea’ and wants to put it to the vote at the Liberal Democrat conference. Knowing what the Liberals really think about wealth taxes, it has a high chance of getting through.

Why do the Liberals think that wealth taxes are a good idea? Well it goes back to that famous equality gap between the rich and poor, which of course is a stupid argument because this is a construct and not real money. This idea silly Lib Dem idea was very well put by Simon Hughes and here it is:

So essentially the Liberals want to tax everyone who they perceive to be ‘rich’. In the weird ideal world of the Lib Dem the definition of rich would also constantly change as the divide would get smaller and smaller with rich and poor becoming poorer and poorer. It is clear that the Lib Dems have no idea that money has a value, which is what really matters. Poor people need more money not a shorter gap between the wealth of them and their neighbour. People in poverty don’t take comfort in the fact that rich people are slightly poorer.

Think again Cleggers.

Consistency

Unlike most I think Nick Clegg is one of the most consistent leaders of the three main parties. In a matter of years 3 in government Nick Clegg has taken the Liberal Democrat manifesto and done the exact opposite in most circumstances. Here is his latest consistent decision not to back an EU referendum (sorry about the Guardian video).

I wonder at which point will Nick realise he has descended into self parody.