I bloody hate Nick Clegg

[notsureatall]

Every time I see his smug face I want to throw something at the telly.

The guy lost seats at the election and should not have anything like the power he has. He has betrayed all his principles, and all his supporters, for a sniff of power.

I didn't vote LibDem this time, though I have in the past. I never will do again. I hope they are annihilated in the next election.

expatinscotland

I actually think it could be a real problem. If Labour refuse to enter a coalition or agree a minority arrangement with the LDs in Holyrood, they are left at the SNP's mercy.

And the big battles in Scotland are Labour versus SNP, with the LDs and Tories largely at the margins.

Politics is even more factional in Scotland and I am not sure any sort of deal can be struck between Labour and the SNP. Indeed, the unwillingness of some Scottish MPs like John Reid and Tom Harris to enter a "rainbow alliance" with the SNP is one of the reasons, amongst many, that Gordon Brown still isn't our Prime Minister.

He is as pathetic as the others with whom he shares the bench with. The lot of them, there is no distinguishinging between any of them.

They may well have had ''their input'' into policy/the budget etc, but it all comes out the same. It is usuall conservative spouting, however you look at it.

If Lib Dem Mp's don't like it...they should walk. As Dave said yesterday to the general population "TOUGH" - they should take their own medicine. I don't expect they will start walking though until the crap really hits the fan next year and that will just show how greedy, selfish and pathetic they really are and how in it for themselves they really are IMO].

legostuckinmyhoover, they're not going to walk, or we'll end up paying even more in interest on borrowing after a downgrade. You could probably put a price on what the Lib Dems walking would be.

Do you live here then, long?

so on one hand we have "the LDs will be annihilated" and on the other there's "they're only in it for themselves."

which is it?

expat, no I dont...sadly. I was talking about Nick Clegg when I said 'he'. I just jumped in with my [size 8's] opinion to the first post-sorry!
Vesela, if you are saying what I think you are, I am really not sure of that anymore. I hoped they would sway the Tories, but in the end it doesn't seem to have made much difference.
azazalo, I am not so sure about that either [IMO].

expat No, I am a Londoner born and bred... I love visiting Scotland though.

I am just very interested in politics. Obviously I don't watch Holyrood as closely as Westminster, but I try to catch up once in a while.

I happen to think devolution has been a bit of a fudge. If Labour wanted to do it properly they would have given the Scottish Parliament tax powers as well as spending powers.

I don't really watch First Minister's Questions as I don't have the time, but my general impression is that Tavish Scott isn't very good, Annabel Goldie is very effective but the Tory brand in Scotland is just dead, that Alec Salmond is very dangerous and a brilliant politician. I think Labour in Scotland are succeeding despite Iain Gray, not because of him. Jim Murphy as Scottish Secretary seemed like a formidable politician though; if he could be persuaded to leave Westminster he would make a powerful First Minister.

oops, just read the 'L' ! ...tired

lego, I meant that either you can say they're doing the right thing but face a big dip in support (although according to pre-budget polls that hasn't happened - they're on 21%, which is more than they went into the election with) or you can say that they're only in it for themselves. But I can't see how you can say "they're only in it for themselves - they're going to get wiped out."

i am hearing all sorts of weird rumours about Jim Murphy. unrepeatable ones. (which may or may not be true, of course).

Aitch What is the point of unrepeatable rumours? Go on, repeat them

i know. but i really cannot repeat them. gist is that he's not the family man he seems. but really they may not be true, madame spreading them is nuts.

Hmmm intriguing.

I do think that in general the quality of MSPs is quite low compared to MPs - in all parties except maybe the SNP. However Scottish Labour politicians in particular might prefer being in power in Holyrood than the grind of opposition at Westminster.

I think this coalition deal has made people feel even more disillusioned with political parties..................and on a personal, gut feel level, I share the op's view of nick clegg...

The only thing worse that seeing Nick Cleggs's hideous smug face with his deliberately open but fake body language, is when he is sitting in the light of the hamshine, and they begin to pat each other and let each other finish their sentences, despite obviously wanting to upstage each other. It's a sight for sore eyes alright !

The only comfort is that the Lib Dems are finished. As will the Tories be when their big gamble with peoples' lives self combusts.

I think there is one thing equally as bad. To see the gruesome gargoyles on the opposition frint bench lecturing us about how to avoid a recession

Labour supporters need to understand one thing: Nick Clegg is doing exactly what he believes. He has not "sold out" - except possibly on VAT, which I grant you, was a major and very unwise piece of hypocrisy. Indeed, he was the only party leader who spoke of "savage" cuts.

Those might not be the views of Vince Cable or Simon Hughes or Charles Kennedy, but they are the genuine beliefs of people like Nick Clegg, Danny Alexander, and David Laws.

The Lib Dems have some genuine liberals amongst them.

Bucharest I'm far happier with the Lib Dem-Tory coalition than I would be with any other available option (like a Lib Dem outright majority would have been fab but was never going to happen ).

(as a low income self-employed single parent, up north, lib dem voter)

longfingernails, Cable is also taking what he believes is the best option. I think we'd know about it if he wasn't "happy" (obviously happy is a relative term here). Simon Hughes is concerned at possible changes on pensioners' issues compared to the coalition agreement, but also being pragmatic first and foremost (Hughes isn't as on the "left" as people think, IMO - he's a definite liberal). Tim Farron has said he will support the budget unless it looks as if it is jeopardising recovery, at which point he says we should make changes.

I find it rather pathetic that rather than accept change is essential, the Labour MPs are showing themselves up by doing 'Punch and Judy' politics all over again.

This time they are aiming their jibes at the Lib Dems, but honestly, having seen the posts in this thread, it looks to me like Labour support comes from a bunch that have dropped their toys from the pram. All this hatred, it doesn't really show yourselves or your party in a good light.

As for talk of wishing "him every ill in this life and the next" it should be withdrawn - if it was written about someone with a particular belief, ethnicity, or colour, it would probably be unlawful.

Politicians are people too, and like them or loathe them, there are certain things one really should not say or think.

(No, in case anyone queries it, I didn't vote Lib Dem, but that's in part because I feel they are misguided about wanting to avoid nuclear power.)

Networkguy: why are you assuming that people who dislike Nick Clegg/Libdem's behaviour are Labour supporters? I for one am not one, yet I still reserve the right to dislike their policies/behaviour/attitude.

With regards to "toys out of the pram", I think people are right to be angry tbh. And the reason they come here and vent is because they don't feel the need to be seen in a good light by anyone.

Just expressing emotions is good once in a while, n'est pas? ;o))))

It doesn't matter whether Nick Clegg has principles or not; it doesn't matter if he is a real "liberal"; it doesn't matter because he and the rest of his party will do as they are told by the Tories.

Better than doing what they're told by Labour