The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

Nick Clegg’s on-mike gaffe

Clegg to Cameron: “If we keep doing this we won’t have anything to bloody disagree on in the bloody TV debates.”

By Duncan Robinson Published 24 March 2011 17:33

The Prime Minister and his deputy enjoyed a typically chummy Q&A session in Nottingham today, during which the topic of TV debates cropped up.

Wandering off camera at the end, Clegg can be heard saying to Cameron:

If we keep doing this we won't have anything to bloody disagree on in the bloody TV debates.

Music to the ears of each party's grass roots, I'm sure. Here's the video:

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26 comments

Fri, 2011-03-25 11:01 — David Faull (not verified)

The point is that we have a strange new political approach by the first government truly to hold a mandate from the British people since 1935.

They agree because they have common cause - to escape the nightmare inflicted on us by Socialist dreams of a pint pot able to yield a quart of ale.

We are lucky to have two exceptional young leaders of parties prepared to risk putting their country's future before their party. Srength to their arms and may they truly introduce a new political era in the UK

Fri, 2011-03-25 11:28 — Dark Heart of Toryland (not verified)

David faull,

The common cause that Cameron and Clegg agree upon is the infliction of their catastrophically failed neoliberal dogmas on the British people. There is hardly anything 'exceptional' in a refusal to budge from a set of received political ideology.

Fri, 2011-03-25 12:01 — Imogen (not verified)

First, you can tell Clegg's joking he called it a "bloody TV" debate. The last ones made this career! Hardly something he hates.

What's the underlying issue here... It's a well-known psychological occurence. Even hostages begin to like their captors.

When there's a coalition vs an oppostion there's a well-known group dynamic that comes into play.

Clegg has to APPEAR to blend in with the Tories otherwise he takes valuable energy being half-in and half-out of the coalition and achieves less and changes the Tories less than being inside it.

If he'd gone in with a Rainbow coalition - he'd probably have a Northern accent with a touch of Welsh & Norhtern Irish :-) As well as talking Labour-ish language.

What we are NOT seeing is a real Tory.

Clegg has family history - Liberalism runs in his blood.

He has seemed to be a Tory before. You'd guess the Chief of Staff to former Tory Home Secretary Leon Britten was a Tory, but he spent a lot of his time fuming in a truly Liberal way and repeatedly refused to turn Tory despite Britten's "bribes".

Nor has lost his mind. Anymore than I would if you put me a crowd of football supporters and started cheering for their team. I'm not interested in football but I do know how to appear to fit in.

It's this flexibility that is one of the great glories of the human mind. We change to circumstances and we can set ourselves back too... (although it can confusing to an outsider.)

Nor has he abandoned his principles.
We are seeing a man in his present circumstances - there is a Tory led government.

He has a chance to influence its direction he is valuing that more than equidistance right now. Thus he appears to be Tory.

The coalition ends 2015. Before then it's entirely possible to re-set him back at an equidistant position where he can make the liberal distinctiveness obvious. In my experience "Energetic NLP" could be the most effective approach to restoring equidistance when the time is right.

He's going to loads to say in those bl**dy TV debates.

Fri, 2011-03-25 12:31 — thinkov

looking forward to your big ideas being shoved down your right wing throats
Thanks for the insight Nick

Lewt's show thwse right wing fools who don't think we have ideas what a new museum/hospital/ council house looks like

won't loook like a fucking glass gerkhin that's for sure

Fri, 2011-03-25 15:12 — Sickofliars (not verified)

Hopefully clegg will end up with the legacy he deserves.....the man that made the libdems unworthy of anyone's votes. He has time and time again proved the adage right.....a vote for the libdems is a vote for the Tories.
Does he have any liberal principles? Dunno, just give him a minute to check with David.

Fri, 2011-03-25 15:07 — scandalousbill (not verified)

Imogen

You say,

"What's the underlying issue here... It's a well-known psychological occurence. Even hostages begin to like their captors."

Stockholm syndrome, particularly its irrational nature, is a term that probably would be the most honest assessment of the Libdem participation in the Tory led coalition, It’s just that Cleggco has no escape plan, and judging by the polls, they have nowhere to go, and their attachment to the Tories is based more on their comfort with the trappings of Ministerial office than any sort of abduction. Sell out works equally well, however, in this case.

Fri, 2011-03-25 15:31 — Freeman2

Don't you think it is also going to get up a lot of Tories' noses that Cameron bloody agrees with Clegg as well?

Fri, 2011-03-25 15:33 — Freeman2

Luddite: 'Apart from the sniping from the political wilderness the left have very little to say.'

Aart from sniping on the NS website Luddite has nothing to say.

Sat, 2011-03-26 16:19 — Reginald-Fah-fah

With Nick Clegg's smoking habit, I'm sure Nick will disagree with the 50 pence added to a pack of 20 cigs!!!

Thu, 2011-03-24 19:14 — swatantra nandanwar

Its remarkable how Cameron and Clegg not only look the same but actually talk the same. They agree on practically everything. Its as though they are merging into one character. Not since the 2 Davids have politicians been so much in each others pockets. Its astounding. Its as though we are getting the creation of a brand new Party 'The Liberal Conservatives'. Its amazing. The Whig Party reborn.

Fri, 2011-03-25 17:21 — Adam Blane Richards (not verified)

More interesting than the little love in going on is the fact that the TV debates are occupying Cleggs mind already! It's 4 bloody years away!

Fri, 2011-03-25 20:12 — matthew fox (not verified)

The saying is " the road to hell is paved with good intentions "

In Luddite's case, he more Dick Whittington and the pavements paved with Gold.

Thu, 2011-03-24 17:55 — SL (not verified)

This is all starting to get a little too much like the end of 'Animal Farm'. It's fine to agree with each other but the problem is that Clegg needs to watch him. I personally don't care if he shoots himself in the foot but the last thing the LibDems want is for their POV to be seen as identical to Conservatives.

'Tis pity that British politics is going down the drain on all fronts.

Thu, 2011-03-24 18:19 — Arturo Bandini (not verified)

What? You actually bought this pish?

Oh, yeah, he had NO IDEA that his sop to hand-wringing LibDems would be "over-heard".

Thu, 2011-03-24 18:38 — Duncan Robinson (not verified)

@Arturo

It's the other way round, surely? This wasn't him putting his foot down to Cameron as many leftie Lib Dems would like to see. This was Clegg rolling over, and having a giggle about how much they agree.

Thu, 2011-03-24 19:00 — Dorian (not verified)

I don't know why people are so shocked. They've always been the same.

Thu, 2011-03-24 19:21 — Mick (not verified)

I'm 100% sure that 2years before the next general election (to give us time to get used to the idea), Clegg will join the Conservatives and will then fight the election in a safe tory seat.

Sat, 2011-03-26 04:37 — Ivan Miletitch

Totally agree with Freeman ...Ludite is a gobshite

Fri, 2011-03-25 04:10 — Ivan Miletitch

I agree with you Mick; the abominable Libdem results at the last bi-election will probably be confirmed at the next general election...& good old Nick will probably abandon ship & join the Conservatives & probably get a peerage in recognition of his services to British conservatism in the process...

Fri, 2011-03-25 07:36 — Luddite (not verified)

Apart from the sniping from the political wilderness the left have very little to say. Well!! apart from the usual abuse and name calling. The truth is, most will support the nasty, but competent party, more then the well meaning with good intentions one, the problem for Labour is, we all know what the road to ruin is paved with.

Fri, 2011-03-25 08:11 — mcquade

"Well!! apart from the usual abuse and name calling."

You mean the same abuse that can be read daily by Tory trolls on every left-wing website? As the saying goes, Luddite, those who live in glass houses should jerk off in the basement.

Fri, 2011-03-25 08:42 — Livers (not verified)

He assumes he will still be leader then. I can't see it.

Fri, 2011-03-25 09:56 — Andy G (not verified)

I'm sure Clegg/Cameron will contrive some disagreement in time for the leadership debates. But you don't have to be a mind reader or a body language expert to see that in reality there is very little/nothing on which those two genuinely disagree. Same goes for the rest of the Orange Book LibDems & the Cameroons.