Kieran Lawrence looks at autonomous weapons and the effect they could have on modern warfare
Continuing a series on world leaders, Miles Deverson takes a look at Angela Merkel
Ben Bland examines the fallout from the Iowa caucuses and looks forward to the New Hampshire primaries.
In the first of a series on world leaders, Miles Deverson takes a look at Nicholas Sarkozy
Comedians and satirists tend to target Gordon Brown for his awkward mannerisms and apparent gaucheness. David Cameron is mocked about his Etonian upbringing and recently for his shiny, airbrushed exterior. The joke about Clegg however has always been simply, that no one knows who he is.
During his time as leader, Clegg has failed to attain the public profile of former Lib Dem leaders such as Paddy Ashdown or Charles Kennedy. Perhaps this is due to Clegg’s comparatively scandal free lifestyle, or maybe it’s simply the result of following the inimitable Sir Menzies Campbell.
Regardless, he has consistently been in the shadow of not only Brown and Cameron, but members of his own party. It is arguable that the financial crisis has seen Clegg overshadowed by his own Treasury Spokesman, the man many consider the most trusted man in British politics; Vince Cable.
No one can say Clegg hasn’t done anything that might have gained him recognition. He was the first to call for the resignation of the Speaker of the House of Commons in the wake of the expenses scandal. A pretty radical move - in fact the first time anyone has made such a demand. Yet despite this and despite its evident success, it was but a murmur amid the tumult of the torrid scandal itself. He also tried to place himself at the forefront of the campaign to win Ghurkhas the right to settle in the UK. Once again however his efforts were overshadowed, this time by none other than Joanna Lumley.
It seems that whatever Clegg has done, he’s been simply unable to establish himself as a public figure. That was, until the prime ministerial debates.
Much has been made of the fact that the Liberal Democrats were always going to benefit from these debates. By placing Clegg alongside the more recognisable Brown and Cameron, it was going to grant him a status he didn’t have in Prime Ministers Question Time; in front of a reported nine million viewers no less. If nothing else, Clegg would finally be introduced to an electorate who, if the satirists are to be believed – didn’t know who he was.
The BBC’s Nick Robinson put it best when he said that as long as Clegg “didn’t screw up”; this debate would’ve always worked in his favour. Notable also is that as Robinson continued, “he did much more than that”. The overwhelming consensus from the debate was that it was in fact Nick Clegg who came out as a clear winner.
Therefore, not only was Clegg able to dramatically heighten his public profile simply by being there – his performance meant he had in a sense made a very positive first impression on many of the electorate. Overall, it was undoubtedly a successful evening for the Liberal Democrats, but also one that will present Clegg and his party new challenges in the days and weeks to come.
Many believe that Clegg’s newfound status will change the way the two main parties address the Liberal Democrats. One has to wonder if Labour will continue Brown’s tactic of ‘agreeing with Nick’ or if a less friendly approach will now be taken. It also remains to be seen if the Conservatives will continue to focus their attacks on the government or if the Liberal Democrats will now be the recipient of some of Cameron and Lord Ashcroft’s wrath.
Paddy Ashdown warned of the dangers of “triumphalism” and predicted that the two main parties will attack, stating, “they will come for us, you watch”.
Two main questions now surface in the wake of the debate. Firstly, can Clegg build on the momentum he picked up during it and carry it not only through the next two debates but the campaign as a whole? Secondly, will Clegg’s success translate into actual support and eventually votes? If early polls are to be believed; then that may well be the case.
Of course come May 6 the UK may still be gripped by the same Labour/Conservative duopoly that has been in place since the 1940’s. However, the prime ministerial debates may just have been major breakthrough that Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats have long been waiting for.
You must log in to submit a comment.
