Bad company

Why so glum chum? Shouldn't have joined the job if you can't take a joke.

The vicissitudes of being the party in power are now all too apparent to the Liberal Democrats.  Thrashed at the polls and soundly beaten in the AV referendum, the party that once gloried in the phony war of local politics now finds the tables turned in dramatic fashion.  Historically, they have been the beneficiaries of the British electorate’s penchant for punishing the party in power through the local election ballot box.  Now they feel the back of the voter’s hand, a stinging rebuke for propping up a minority Tory administration, reneging on promises and generally acting in a thoroughly shifty and un-liberal democratic fashion.  Once the activists get over the wake, I’m sure they’ll be asking some searching questions of Clegg, Cable and Alexander.  What have we got out of this coalition apart form a bloody nose?

Meanwhile, the tories walk away unscathed, bolstered even.  Cameron can hardly conceal his delight at how things have turned out and the sight of him crying crocodile tears at the plight of his coalition partners is stomach churning.  The party that actually delights in taking a scythe to the public sector, that views the move to an increasingly low-skilled, low-wage economy with glee has managed to complete a year in government implementing draconian cuts without feeling the expected backlash from the electorate.  Frankly, and for the first time in living memory, I have to take my hat off to them but I’m sure that the Lib-dems aren’t feeling quite so charitable.  However, Clegg needs to remember, if you make that deal with the devil at the crossroads, you’re going to end up with the blues………….