Clegg ducks Cameron's conciliatory speech

Julian F

Good, solid if largely uninspiring performance from Cameron. Miliband ends up looking rather foolish, having let it be known through Nick Robinson that he would not have signed up to the proposed treaty "as it stood". Rather makes a mockery of his criticisms. He also displayed alarming ignorance about the workings of the EU and what a veto means. A hands-down win for Cameron over all-comers, achieved with his customary ease and lack of notes in parrying the questions.

Mark Cannon

Mr Clegg has shown that he is an utter prat, having moved dramatically from his position on Friday.

He and his LibDem colleagues (particularly Messrs Cable and Huhne) have demonstrated the shortcomings of coalition government so that the vast majority of the eleectorate will have no more to do with PR or the LibDems for a generation.

DavidDP

Slightly disappointed in Clegg. Althoguh while it does come across as a childish, it could be a result of worry on his part about the position he's in vis a vis his MPs, and was thus something of a panicked move.

telemachus'

Yes but what say has he on the economy of Europe or anything else
What about getting Gordon in as his Euro Ambassador
We know Gordon can be trusted on the Euro but he also commands respect in Brussels, Paris and Berlin

Heartless Curmudgeon

Here we go!

The H2B trying to slither back onto the slimey EUSSR trail so clearly laid for him.

Watch him folks, - he cannot be trusted!

*******!

TGF UKIP

Clegg probably knows full well, that, to shelter himself from his own party, there will be no limit to the extent of Dave's appeasement.

"A house didvided against itself cannot stand" and was ever a house as divided as this phoney construct.

Just a toss up which collapses first, the Euro or Dave's beloved Coalition

Nicholas

Fairly negative coverage of this by the BBC who wheeled out an anti-Cameron rent-a-quote from Sir Martin Sorrel who was appointed as Ambassador for Business by New Labour's FCO in 1997 with other New Labour appointments and rewards in 2000. The pro comments were not televised.

Not a word from the BBC about Blair, Brown or Balls getting a mention in the FSA report on RBS though.

Vulture

@telemachus:

Thank you for penning quite the funniest post I have read in months.

Gordon Brown commands about as much trust and respect
in fiscal matters as Bernie Madoff.

Keep em coming tele, and they'll be signing you up for the Galsgow Empire's stand-up amateurs night.

Maggie

I was reminded of Mrs Hugh Gaitskell's remark to her husband: "The wrong people are clapping".

Russell

Cameron 10 Miliband 0
Cameron 10 Clegg 0
Cameron 10 Conservative eurosceptics 0
Cameron 10 Electorate 0

The electorate are still waiting for Cameron to grow a pair and demand UK renegotiated EU membership and then put those terms (or if refused the current terms) to the electorate with a referendum.

Russell

Clegg could not have insisted the PM consult him before making a decision!

Cameron is the PM, in charge of not only the largest party in the UK, but in charge of the UK as PM and responsible for any decisions himself.

MgicAldo

We might as well all accept that the UK will only exit the EU once it becomes inevitable, either through its effective replacement by the EFU (of which we cannot now become a member), or through it's implosion through the exit of a post-euro France or Germany. Disappointing I know that we have to wait, but the UK will never produce politicians now who will take a lead on the matter. But have faith, it will happen eventually!

TGF UKIP

Nicholas, why would the BBC not behave like this? With Blair and Brown they had rottweilers like Alastair Campbell in their faces while on the other hand Dave has Craig Oliver. Trouble is though from the Cameron Tories' point of view, the longer the BBC go publicly unchallenged the even more overtly they'll flaunt their hostility.

BTW, I've long believed that Huhne would be first to flounce out and now I'm more certain of this than ever with it possibly being v. soon.

Andy Leeds

Petulant, childish and now a coward. There is no depths to which this stupid man will not sink. He is not fit to hold any office and the sooner he surrenders his seals and resigns his seat the better. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Andrew Fletcher

The next few weeks and months will be crucial for all us Sceptics

The 81 have Cameron exactly where they want him - right in their pocket but he will try to wriggle free

We need to keep the pressure on the 81 to push for an In/Out Referendum asap -

We need to let Carswell et al know that we will not allow them to sell out

It's time to seize the day

Jeremy

James Forsyth:

"Personally, I'm not sure if Clegg is wise to advertise his opposition to what Cameron has done."

Ultimately, James, he probably values a future well-paid sinecure in Europe over his position in the government or as the leader (don't laugh) of the Liberal Democrats.

As for Clegg not turning up for Parliament, but giving a backstabbing television interview instead - I think that is cowardice of the very lowest order.

Russell

Cleggs attendance record is far superior to the worst offender......Gordon Brown.

Cynic

"In response to repeated Labour questions about where Clegg was, Cameron replied 'I'm not responsible for his whereabouts. I'm sure he is working very hard.'" I, too, am sure that Clegg is working very hard - at protecting his EU pension and prospects, not a supporting the UK.

fergus pickering

Good Heavens, I had no idea telemachus was serious. I assumed it was a joke.

ex-Tory Voter

"One MP linked in to Number 10 said to me earlier, 'the Cameron brand is that he's the man who stands up for Britain. He now has definition.'" Alas for Cameron, while I applaud that he actually didn't cave in to Merkozy as I expected, I fear it is only a brand - ie all surface gloss and no substance. Cameron will need to follow it up with some real pro-UK actions (which in practice means not pro-EU actions) to get me back onside.

Julian the Wonderhorse

Can we please have an end to these Liberal fossils on TV bleating about terrible Cameron is? They tend to all be safely tucked up in the House of Lirds, safe in the knowledge they never have to face an election again. Jenny Tonge for God's sake! All meat and drink for the Bolshevik Broadcasting Corporation though

Tarka the Rotter

By absenting himself from the chamber today, hasn't Clegg isolated himself as the leader of a pygmy party?

strapworld

Andrew Fletcher joins me in concern about this Prime Minister.

He found himself outflanked by France and Germany and did not like it. He found himself in a place he did not want to be and it showed. He certainly enjoyed the headlines over the weekend but today's statement was him talking to the EU and not the UK...business as usual, I am one of you and we will sort this out...

I worry when the tory backbenches treat him like a hero. It would be good at the 1922 meeting on Wednesday if they told him to his face they will not allow the Lib Dems to get away with wagging the dog anymore and they do not want anything to do with the EU under the present rules and restrictions.

It is also time to reassess our relationship with the USofA. I read an article today, sorry I cannot recall the author,who suggested that we should look towards the commonwealth, India, Singapore, China, Japan etc for trade and, interestingly, declare ourselves as a neutral country and rid ourselves of nuclear weapons etc. The money that would save in addition to the savings on all armaments etc. would be immense.

Time to think outside the goldfish bowl.

Dimoto

The reptiles fill the press gallery, but are far too busy tweeting to each other to notice what is going on in the chamber.

BBC, ITV, Sky, all gave highly misleading versions of what happened, and are all totally out of touch with public opinion.

Adam Boulton even assured us that Huhne also didn't turn up - so, who was that chubby, oleaginous chappy seated just a few places to Cameron's left Adam ??

We still have free-speech, but we have a terribly biased and self-censored media.

J Wright

vulture6.34 Thank you for pointing out Telemachus that I had missed.The poor chap must have been too thick even to pass the entrance exam for a bog ordinary comprehensive.

TrevorsDen

THE USP for the LDs was 'coalition government'.

They are going out of their way to make a mockery of that.

TrevorsDen

You really are a pillock Mr Fletcher - you cannot see that the EU26 are doing your dirty work for you. You would seek to destroy the govt and let in labour on the eve of the Euro going belly up.

We have already slipped into the de-facto position we would be in or would hope to be in of we left the EU. As it is a number of countries are on the precipice of falling pout of the Euro - leaving it and the EU precisely where?

Fex Urbis

Just watched the crap that is Newsnight, apparently if Dave says he's really sorry he may be forgiven by his European betters. What a sorry pile of shit the BBC has become. Even curly haired Blair gimp turned banker Jonathan Powell looked embarrassed.

Liz Brown

Cleggie, as a former MEP, stands to lose that vry lucrative pension if he is seen to toe an anti EU line.
As to Adam Boulton's comments that Huhne wasn't there, he (Huhne)must have hired a remarkable likeness as I was watching the Parliament channel and saw him
I won't/don't watch the Biased Beeb so cannot comment on them

michael

Having been outed, Mr Clegg takes to his closet.... well fancy that.