Clegg: More Than Just Cameron-Lite

To be honest, when most people my age think of Nick Clegg, the usual criticism is this: "He's just Cameron, only even less convincing. Now, if he was a bit more like Vince Cable..."

It's a view I've often shared. Who tore into the banks about their handling of the recession? Vince Cable. Who's written a book on the economic crisis? Vince Cable. Who actually gets voters out of their seats with his no-nonsense attitude? Vince Cable.

So it's refreshing to see the actual leader take not only a decisive stance, but a fiercely anti-Tory stance as well. Clegg claims that "there is nothing positive in the Conservatives' election strategy". Perhaps a bit obvious when you consider these posters...

But at least he's trying. After all, it would have been very easy for Clegg to agree in principle to a coalition with the Conservatives, especially as together they could easily have a comfortable majority, but he hasn't budged from his stance. He wants a fairer voting system, and that means a rejection of the two-party system: ergo, he can't afford to help either party stay in power. Of course, that means attacking both parties equally: so he attacks the Labour Party's record in Scotland one day, and attacks the Conservatives on the next.


The possible downside to this is that he's falling for the very thing he's accusing Cameron of: negative campaigning. But to be honest, the Lib Dems' image frequently suffers from the general consensus that they're a bit too nice to be in power: so by coming out and swinging a few punches, Clegg will arguably help his position. He's right in saying the Conservatives are scaremongering in the City - that's where a lot of support lies, and their use of it makes a lot of sense - but he needs to find a way to bring Brown down a peg or two. There's something bizarre about Brown being able to mess up the economy so much and still possibly "get away with it": and is eighteen years of Labour really a good idea? Remember what the voters thought of the previous eighteen years in '97, after all.

So, as I've argued before, a "divide and conquer" strategy is needed: perhaps by pointing out that Labour are just as guilty as the Conservatives with regards to their nom-dom supporters, or demonstrating the lack of support from both Tory and Labour front benches for constitutional reform last week? It's obviously a tricky situation: Clegg arguably needs to distance himself from Cameron in order to gain more of the vote, but not so much that he's seen as pro-Government. But repeated attacks such as these could be the key to the Lib Dems making those important gains.


It'll be interesting to see if he can come out fighting in the televised debates as well. Once more with feeling, Mr Clegg!