The United Kingdom Elections 2010

[Furunculus]

Contrary to some views expressed above, I think his approach was well-timed, putting fear into the Tories just when he needed them to get serious about sealing the deal. Good negotiating, and he would never have been able to sell the Tory deal to his own party if he hadn't explored the "progressive" option. Then Labour gave him the perfect way out - they proved not to be serious. Boom, straight back to the Tory negotiators, who jumped with joy, and to his own party he could shrug and say it was never on with Labour. Deal done.

Far from being an opportunist, I thought he proved himself a shrewd politician. He and Cameron seem to get on (as opposed to Brown's bullying phone calls) which bodes well for a partnership.

i agreed above that clegg probably had no option but to explore a progressive coalition before his rabid membership would accept a lib-con deal, and its not clegg acted improperly in doing so, but the cloak-and-dagger discussions with labour will give lie to the claim that clegg is all new politics, believe me, he is now firmly cemented in the political establishment in the eyes of the people.

Oh dear. Polly Toynbee's upset. Good.

few things can bring such instant and unvarnished joy to me, even in the absence of the details that cause this to be true, my thanks.