New Times,
New Thinking.

  1. Politics
12 April 2011updated 12 Oct 2023 10:17am

When Nick Clegg met Mrs Duffy

Watch: Gordon Brown’s tormentor confronts the Deputy Prime Minister in Rochdale.

By George Eaton

What had been a trying morning for Nick Clegg became tougher still when Gordon Brown’s old tormentor, Mrs Duffy, confronted the Deputy Prime Minister during a trip to Rochdale.

Clegg turned on the charm, referring to her throughout as “Gillian”, but the redoubtable Duffy wasn’t impressed. “Liberal policies were a lot like Labour policies years and years ago,” she noted astutely. Still, after his recent on-mike gaffe, Clegg will be grateful that there was no repeat today.

Content from our partners
We don't need to wait to fix adult social care
Building Britain’s water security
How to solve the teaching crisis

Start the new year with a New Statesman subscription from only £8.99 per month.