An inseparable novelty duo, embraced by an adoring nation in the wake of 90 minutes of TV, and propelled from being rank outsiders to serious contenders. If this election campaign really is the start of “X-Factor politics”, then enter Jedward. Nick Clegg and Vince Cable find themselves and their party at the front of the political stage, and, much like that of John and Edward Grimes, their success is completely undeserved. The usual approach of trying to be everything to everyone is evident in both style and substance, but this time their weak, divided party veils itself with the new national obsession with Nick and Vince.

For a start, Nick Clegg’s approach of attacking what he calls “old politics” is cynical and deceptive. Despite the fact that modern day Lib Dems can quite reasonably trace their political routes to the 1860s, there is little new about the modern day party either. The Liberal Democrats on a local level are widely regarded by the other political parties as the most underhand and pernicious campaigners of the lot; their MPs were also embroiled in the expenses scandal; they received huge donations from an ex-con; their first election poster was a copy of a Tory poster from the 1990s, remodelled to contain a outright lie on tax; and Nick Clegg himself received thousands of pounds in donations into his private bank account. Though some of these actions may be put down to a certain naivety, they certainly do not amount to any sort of break from the past - “new politics” it ain’t. Politics is a dirty business and the Lib Dems are no exception, despite their squeaky-clean image and “it wasn’t me, guv” rhetoric. Clegg has been able to ride on the crest of an opportunistic wave, presented to him on a plate with people’s dislike of Gordon Brown and scepticism of David Cameron. He had the easiest job in the world at the start of this election campaign, but now it’s starting to unravel.

And what about the policies themselves? Uninspiring and unsurprising given the lack of thought that has clearly gone in to thinking them through. On immigration, they seriously suggest an amnesty for illegal immigrants, a policy which has been shown in all other countries when it has been tried to subsequently increase illegal immigration. Additionally, forcing economic migrants to work in particular areas of the country, not allowing them to move, and charging the employer if they do, strikes me as a somewhat illiberal policy for a Liberal party.

On fiscal policy, Vince Cable brands Tory plans to cut national insurance rises as “nauseating” one week and the next week says it would be better to stop the rises but makes no commitment to do so. Their tax policy instead is to change income tax allowances for low and middle incomes, but this benefits someone earning £50,000 a year more than someone earning £10,000, as low earners already get most of their income tax free and have their income subsidised by benefits like tax credits (some of which the Lib Dems plan to abolish as well). For a party that purports to be one of fairness, they have a funny definition of the term.

Regarding Trident, unless their policy has changed again as I write this, the Lib Dems are prepared to sacrifice our place on the UN Security Council - the last great bastion of Britain’s influence on the world stage - in return for saving what they claim would be £100 million, though official estimates are a fraction of this. Even then, as if the suggestion of putting cost-cutting over national defence wasn’t enough, they haven’t ruled out replacing it with something potentially more expensive.

This indecision and muddling is most evident, however, in their plans for tackling the budget deficit and public finances. Cable and Clegg claim to have put forward a fully costed manifesto, billions of pounds in cuts and a change to economic policy. The sums in the manifesto may be right, but they rely on revenue raising that the IFS says is staggeringly ambitious; their cuts are at least as unspecific as those of the Conservatives, and many of their cuts are alternatives to those put forward by Labour, rather than additions. On the Daily Politics Chancellors’ debate last week, Saint Vince completely fell apart under scrutiny of his economic policy - just as Clegg isn’t perfect, he isn’t infallible. Indeed, these are two men whose zealous support for the Euro and further surrender of powers to Brussels, whatever the cost, would, if enacted in government, make our economic situation a whole lot worse.

So, what appears to be a party with a plan to reshape Britain, led by two trusted figures promising to change politics, is not actually so. They are not new; they were merely unheard of before - there is a reason that nobody has taken the Lib Dem’s seriously for years. They will not change politics; they are politicians like everyone else - plans to abolish safe seats and introduce proportional representation are only offered in cynical self-interest. They will not save Britain; they don’t have any credible plan for the country - nobody is more surprised at the Lib Dems’ new found success than the Lib Dems themselves and their manifesto, rather than being dreamt up on the playing fields of Westminster, was more likely dreamt up on the back of a post-it note. I just hope the electorate sees through the spin and stops falling for the facade that is “Cleggmania”. They certainly won’t be agreeing with Nick if the Lib Dems win any sort of power - here’s hoping that they realise that before it’s too late.

Filed under: libdems, nickclegg, ukpolitics on April 30th, 2010