Comments on: Clegg: more walkouts http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/ crass, boorish and more a bruiser than blogger Sat, 17 May 2008 05:38:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Mark Heenan http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167535 Mark Heenan Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:20:04 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167535 Perhaps you ought to force a recall election on the Lib Dem leader... Perhaps you ought to force a recall election on the Lib Dem leader…

]]> By: James Graham http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167532 James Graham Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:50:48 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167532 LFAT - the point I was making was merely that Clegg is insisting it was planned while Davey is insisting it wasn't. They can't both be right and like you I suspect it is Davey who is being economic with the truth here. LFAT - the point I was making was merely that Clegg is insisting it was planned while Davey is insisting it wasn’t. They can’t both be right and like you I suspect it is Davey who is being economic with the truth here.

]]> By: Letters From A Tory http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167451 Letters From A Tory Fri, 07 Mar 2008 09:36:49 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167451 Ed Davey's walkout was about as spontaneous as singing the national anthem at the beginning of an England football match. http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com Ed Davey’s walkout was about as spontaneous as singing the national anthem at the beginning of an England football match.

http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com

]]> By: Derek Young http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167340 Derek Young Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:13:52 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167340 James, I certainly agree with you that while it is not only good, but essential to get noticed, this is only a political strategy if there is some obvious purpose behind it which points to a philosophical place we stand in or some action we propose to take. The reason that most of the media is pointing at us and laughing today is because nobody can see any credible reason for the Parliamentary Group's actions over the past week, despite Clegg's increasingly hot-tempered attempts to justify it and reassert his crumbling authority. In the public mind, we're back in the beards and sandals corner. William Hague is going to have a lot of fun with our antics as this Bill continues through the House of Lords and then amendments come back to the Commons, and will not tire of reminding the world about it. Walking out to make a point no-one understands just looks like a tantrum, sitting on your hands over something you staged a walkout over looks confused, reprimanding those who expressed an opinion looks vindictive and silly. I notice that Chris Davies MEP has come out to defend Clegg today, saying (I am paraphrasing) that he is so obviously intelligent, self-deprecating and liberal that he will be leader of his party for a good long time. Well, maybe. But there is an extra ingredient in a capable and competent leader, and it is judgement. Clegg has shown himself to be worryingly devoid of judgement over the EU referendum fiasco. If we keep him as leader while he continues to show the judgment of the past week then we are effectively slitting our own throats. James, I certainly agree with you that while it is not only good, but essential to get noticed, this is only a political strategy if there is some obvious purpose behind it which points to a philosophical place we stand in or some action we propose to take.

The reason that most of the media is pointing at us and laughing today is because nobody can see any credible reason for the Parliamentary Group’s actions over the past week, despite Clegg’s increasingly hot-tempered attempts to justify it and reassert his crumbling authority.

In the public mind, we’re back in the beards and sandals corner. William Hague is going to have a lot of fun with our antics as this Bill continues through the House of Lords and then amendments come back to the Commons, and will not tire of reminding the world about it. Walking out to make a point no-one understands just looks like a tantrum, sitting on your hands over something you staged a walkout over looks confused, reprimanding those who expressed an opinion looks vindictive and silly.

I notice that Chris Davies MEP has come out to defend Clegg today, saying (I am paraphrasing) that he is so obviously intelligent, self-deprecating and liberal that he will be leader of his party for a good long time. Well, maybe. But there is an extra ingredient in a capable and competent leader, and it is judgement. Clegg has shown himself to be worryingly devoid of judgement over the EU referendum fiasco. If we keep him as leader while he continues to show the judgment of the past week then we are effectively slitting our own throats.

]]> By: James Graham http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167332 James Graham Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:33:30 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167332 And that's supposed to be cutting how exactly? And that’s supposed to be cutting how exactly?

]]> By: expriest http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167331 expriest Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:20:06 +0000 http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2008/03/06/clegg-more-walkouts/#comment-167331 Oh James, You are so Westminster Village you can't even see it. The Lib Dem Quentin Letts. xp Oh James,

You are so Westminster Village you can’t even see it. The Lib Dem Quentin Letts.

xp

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