Nick Clegg

Gemma Worrell
Poor Ms Worrall. She is the fragrant 20 year old from Blackpool who has become famous for her tweet -

In her defence it should be said that Obama became the 44th President of America in 2009 when Worrall was 15 years old. As for the comment 'our president', well the BBC has, all those years, treated Obama as if he is the Messiah so perhaps her mistake is understandable. Which leads us on to the flatulent Nick Clegg. He is older than Worrall but politically just as ignorant. And try as he did with his speech at the LibDem conference the possibility is the Worrall Tweet will be read by more people than attendees at his conference. This despite the BBC trying to present his words as important.

The Spectator reported on the Worrall story and it got over 170 comments from readers. By contrast the reports about Clegg scored 36, 234, and 6. Now you would have thought the politician would have fared better than that. And there was a less than favourable reaction to Clegg from the Guardian too.

fagged out Clegg and the TEA party!
When in 1981 Greece joined the EU perhaps there was a whoop of joy from the office of the then MEP Jacques Delors, 'another one in the bag'. A long time ago getting countries to join in this grand plan was akin to a child collecting Dinky toys, the more the merrier. It was the same when later on the single currency was created; problems? Oh never mind! We will sort those out later. It was always principle first practicalities later.

The euphoria, a good word to describe the creation of anything related to the EU, was apparent. So a long list of weak and dodgy countries some unable to meet important criteria, others unwilling and some both, made up the numbers. Only recently did Delors say what he thought about it all. But not a peep from him or any of the other euphoric people, the motley crew who without question support the EU, at the time all this was happening. Did they know and keep quiet or did they not understand? This is important. For the study of history, you would have thought, is only worthwhile if you can learn from it so as not to repeat mistakes.

Which brings us bang up to date. What mistakes have been made in the last few days by the EU leaders?

Modern Barnsley, oh dear!
It had to happen. In the Barnsley Central by-election the coalition has hit the floor and what they have to face is that there will be rejoicing. And no, not only from the supporters of Labour. From the outset the coalition has not satisfied grassroots supporters of either the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats. It's ducking out of the issue to pretend that, as the LDs and Conservatives stood as separate parties, the result is a disaster for only the LDs who lost their deposit. For they are, the rest of the time, part of 'the coalition'. They are together in victory and defeat. Nor will it do to point out this is a northern town with all the usual tendencies of political tribalism.

A welcome awaits?
What is the point of the EU? A simple question you may think, but it all depends who you are speaking to as to the answer you get. Politicians such as Neil Kinnock and Peter Mandelson could give you an answer and it would explain how it saved them from the scrapheap for, as an employer of the rejects of democracy, the EU has an impressive track record. This is one of the reasons why the political class love the EU so much. In the UK you start with being interested in politics at university, hoping to 'get noticed'. You will certainly stand a good chance of being indoctrinated into the 'benefits' of the EU by the teaching staff and syllabus content. Then there are student exchange programmes, what fun, study abroad etc. Then if it all works out well you could work for an MP.

Up,up and away?
It's been wall-to-wall Clegg, as for the LibDems, their time has come. But Nick Clegg and his party should be careful. Not so long ago Peter Mandelson dominated the media. In this case the exposure for Mandy did not always benefit Labour, as a result many in the Labour Party became resentful. He never did anything for the greater good and the party faithful knew it.Tony Blair may have insisted that his party "learn to love" Mandy, but to no avail and now they are both loathed by the party faithful and country alike. It's the LibDem conference in Liverpool but this explains only some of the publicity for Clegg. For the man and his party are being given the long hard look; are there problems ahead? Probably yes.