This is my latest column for Jewish News:
Not since Susan Boyle first dreamed a dream on our small screens has a television performance rocked the nation like Nick Clegg’s did at the first televised leadership debate. People who just minutes earlier had no idea who they were going to vote for and who thought ‘Nick Clegg’ was something that lady-shavers do were suddenly convinced he was better than Winston Churchill and also the next Barack Obama. Sheesh, talk about the audacity of hype…
The Winston Churchill comparison is the stuff of such lunacy it hardly bears consideration here. But Nick Clegg as the next Barack Obama? He isn’t even the next Shirley Williams. He is an intellectually feeble opportunist who owes his prominence in his party to an almost apocalyptic famine of talent in the Liberal Democrat ranks. How many great figures can you name in that party? And why, if it was a party with any real up-and-coming talent, would the bigoted likes of Jenny Tonge not have been slung out years ago?
Most of Clegg’s newly-converted fans are unable to name a single policy in the Liberal Democrats manifesto. When I hear what a great orator he supposedly is I am reminded of his toe-curling performance at the Jewish News event last year. Given that he has repeatedly criticised Israeli policy including Operation Cast Lead and other defensive wars, one audience member asked pertinently what alternative measures he recommended Israel take to ensure its survival. “Look, it’s not up to me to dispense lofty advice to Israel,” replied the man who usually loves to dispense lofty advice to Israel.
Oblivion was a key theme for Clegg that evening. He confidently said that “all sides” of the conflict want a peaceful, two-state solution based on pre-1967 lines. He was politely reminded that Hamas quite openly does not want this, but actually wants the elimination of Israel in its entirety. He seemed only mildly embarrassed. Aiming to bounce back he trotted out his beloved but ultimately puzzling ‘I’m married to a Spaniard so of course I oppose antisemitism’ line. Most of us looked at our shoes in embarrassment for the man.
Then we had his pompously delivered promise that he would deal with Jenny Tonge if she made any further antisemitic comments or stepped out of line on Israel. He has since repeatedly broken this promise and only eventually dealt with her in the limpest of ways after her Haiti blood libel. If Clegg doesn’t even have the balls or the decency to deal with antisemitism and support for terrorism within his own party, why on earth should we believe he is in any way ready to be a leader of the country?
The next Obama indeed! But it’s ironic that Clegg has been compared to Obama because that is a comparison that Hampstead & Kilburn Liberal Democrat candidate Ed Fordham has – ludicrously – been desperate to spin for himself. Fordham, who sat grinning on the sidelines of the aforementioned event, has a peculiar approach to courting Jewish votes. His voracious appetite for photo opportunities and similar empty gestures on Israel has been matched only by his determination to heroically avoid making clear what he actually believes on the issue. This suggests an enormous contempt for the intelligence of his would-be constituents.
What a shower of amateurs the Liberal Democrats are. We can’t say we weren’t warned about them and Israel. Nick Clegg has called for Israel – only Israel – to be disarmed, and also called for an immediate end to what he calls the “blockade” of Gaza. But he offers no suggestion as to how to ensure Israel’s security under such scenarios. Last year he even asked: “Is the idea of Israel as a Jewish state something new?” He presides over a shambolic little party that strains with men and women whose contempt for Israel is clear. Remember that on May 6th.
You can read Jewish News online here. You can read a guest post by the Conservative candidate for Hampstead & Kilburn here.
Well said Chas. What most people do not realise is that the LibDems are way to the left of New Labour on for example taxation – have they even read the LibDem proposals for higher pension, capital gains & property taxation? Is it too much to hope that the TV debate tomorrow night will make this clear? It is truly frightening that a few hours of superficial TV “debate” can influence so many gullible people.
Shirley Williams! LOL!
Good old Shirley! http://timesonline.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/29/shirley_williams.jpg
Great article
One very minor quibble.
Saying “He isn’t even the next Shirley Williams” suggests that Shirley Williams is a lesser being than Barack Obama.
As one who remembers her as a Labour Minister in the Wilson and Callaghan governments in the 1970s, then founding the SDP, I think you do her a disservice!
Shirley Williams … nah … Bill Rodgers (who)
If it was X Factor then Mr Clagg would win but I’m not sure if people will be as gullible for a general election, what do you think Chas?
Thanks Chas, good article, makes me feel better there are guys like you out there fighting our cause.
Clegg is a flash-in-the-pan. The people who say they like him,the new fans, won’t be actualy going out to vote. They will find a new fad by May 6th.
The married-to-a-Spaniard comment is quite bizarre.
It’s a bit like responding to an accusation of racism by saying
“But I have a Sammy Davis Jr record!”
or an accusation of misogyny-
“But I lovewomen! I have stacks of pornography!”
Shirley Williams has been a CIA operative since 1955.The only purpose of the SDP was to enable Thatcher to sail to victory.Her head should be on a spike outside the Tower.
A fate befitting a traitor.
You’re on form today!
I agree with everything you’ve written, Chas, except one thing… Clegg does remind me of Obama!!
You know, smarmy, two faced, says he cares about Israel but doesn’t show it, talks a lot about fighting antisemitism and Holocaust-denial to counter his Israel-bashing, talks a lot about “change” and “together”ness, thinks he’s going to save the world…
Most people are just naive and like Clegg for himself, not what he stands for. Because he doesn’t talk as posh as Cameron, he’s less ugly than Gordon Brown, and he tells people what they want to hear.
“A Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate in Yorkshire told a hustings meeting that “the power of the Jewish lobbies in Washington and Britain” are the reason a full arms embargo has not been imposed on Israel.”
http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/31087/lib-dem-warns-power-jewish-lobby
Excellent article Chas. Duvidl is in total agreement.
Jonathan S, I’m beginning to suspect they really don’t want any Jews voting for them!
“…who thought ‘Nick Clegg’ was something that lady-shavers do….”
I never spotted this one, Chas. I like it and I look forward to using it many times in conversation in the coming week:-))
Chas you are great! I was just talking about Mr. Clegg to someone this morning – a LibDem sweep (small or large) would be a disaster.
Liberal Democrats a shower of amateurs? I have to disagree, Lempik Opik is a professional moron. I see they are keeping him very well hidden these days.
I think it is a bit self-righteous to say that a boost in the popularity of the lib-dems is just media hype. The one thing that has always put them down is the fact that they’re not sponsored by large organisations or millionaire individuals like the labour and conservative party and therefore never been able to get the same publicity. Before the first debate only a third of the country knew anything about the liberal democrats (and they were still at 20% in the polls).
Suggesting that people that vote tory or labour are completely informed and intellectual people is ludicrous. Most people vote for one just to spite the other and a lot of people that vote conservative do so because the daily mail or the sun tells them to.
I don’t pretend to know much about the Israel situation, but passing off the recent rise in lib-dem support as X-factor hype has nothing to do with it.
Oh dear it just gets worse. Check these links:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100035537/lib-dems-want-murderers-rapist-and-paedophiles-to-be-given-the-vote-now-thats-what-i-call-electioneering/
and
http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/30841/anti-israel-iraqi-billionaires-dinner-nick-clegg
Only a total fool would vote for this rabble. A very well put argument BTW Chas.