The LibDems are their own worst enemy!

The trouble with Nick Clegg and the Liberals is simple and obvious but it’s also tricky and needs time to tackle it.

Like Obama, Clegg is charismatic charming and dynamic, and like Obama he is green and came to office unripe. The only difference between the two, Obama wanted to become President and was groomed for the occasion. Clegg on the other hand came into power by chance, weight down with his party members ‘who had their own hopes and expectations’ then jumped into the deep end feet first!

That’s why when Obama fell short his party and supporters, although disappointed, found excuses to defend him and his actions – but in Clegg’s case they felt angry, betrayed and vehemently looked for restitution.

Never governing for over half a century – every election the liberals were able to promise the moon knowing too well they never had to deliver it and that served them well. While they were dreaming up wild undeliverable promises, at best their popularity increased and at worst it remained static. While at the same time they were able to indirectly put pressure on the two main parties gently nudging them towards the centre ground.

When Sky suggested the leaders’ debate, the political class was divided on whether Clegg should or should not take part. As the new kid on the block and the head of the third party he had little to lose and everything to gain by taking part. Following the first debate Clegg emerged as the “Hope and Change” leader, but his star quickly fell when he failed to deliver on the details, nevertheless by the end of the debates he was already likened to Churchill and became a media darling. Cleggmania swept the nation, the election produced a hung parliament and Clegg was crowned the kingmaker. For five days after that our nation held its breath while behind close doors politicians negotiated its fate and future. The coalition was formed and Clegg became deputy PM.

But before the coalition’s first anniversary it became clear that as a nation we are clueless about coalition rule – both sides had tranches of their election manifesto implemented in the agreement but both had to drop a number of promises in compromise.

From the start the Tories understood that not everything they promised will be delivered and although they were unhappy about it, most accepted it. On the other hand the liberals lacked that basic understanding – which in itself is astonishing. Serious politicians like serious business people, know when organizations merge they give concessions. That lack of discipline and comprehension of such a basic rule for a workable partnership is the main cause of the heartache Clegg and his party are feeling today. Where in reality they might not be weak or disunited, unfortunately their actions make them appear so. Add to that while the Tory front bench is solid behind their leader most of the Libs fighting is done by members of the cabinet – which makes it disrespectful and disruptive for Clegg as a leader to lead, if he can’t command respect from his own front bench how is he going to get it form the man on the street, the voter!?

On Saturday, Dr Vince Cable in an interview on Radio Four described the Tories as “Ruthless, Calculating and thoroughly Tribal”. However, the conservatives are not alone, on the pitch and on the battleground the liberal are all three but what they lack is the knowhow to modify and translate those characteristic into the boardroom because politics is not all that different to business or even daily life!