Almost a year ago, David Cameron and Nick Clegg staged their love-in at the Downing
Street rose garden. As I say
in the News of the World (£) today, this era is now at a close. When they come back from the 5 May elections, Clegg and Cameron have agreed that they cannot go on as before. An agreement
has been struck for an amicable separation. Not divorce — the coalition will keep going. But Cameron and Clegg will put clear blue (and yellow) water between them and drop the pretence that
they agree on everything. The coalition is about to enter its Phase Two.
Clegg’s analysis is that Phase One was, perhaps, too successful. His over-riding mission was to prove to a sceptical Britain that coalition governments can work and don’t lead to
sclerosis. So the Lib Dems’ tuition fee policy was sacrificed on the altar of effective coalition government.
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