Very rarely – once in a blue moon really – a politician will tickle the ribs of the public enough to inspire giggles of hope in a multitude of people; these people (like the starving and depressed population of a country mired in total-war) are so weary of their circumstances they will lap up ambiguous promises of ‘change’, political or otherwise, like hungry orphans given their first small bowl of gruel after a week down t’ pits.
Obama rode this wave of optimism straight into the White House, a few years ago, though admirers and well wishers have long since been left feeling ripped off; not least because rumours abound of attendees at one rally in Washington, who’d been face to face and shaking hands with the great man, getting home to find their watches had been stolen, right off their optimistic wrists. In the UK things weren’t much better on the political stage, with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg managing to gain a notable following during the first televised election debate; this was due chiefly to Clegg coming across as the only ‘straight’ man on the dais, leaving the other candidates to appear like a pair of bickering children, or Moe and Curly (of Three Stooges fame) stuck in an “It’s his fault” “No, it’s your fault” pastiche. Clegg promised a genuine chance of change, and led a platform aimed at recruiting younger voters – many of them experiencing their first general election – who would be keen on seeing an alternative to the old two party (read: old and boring) system. He backed his TV performance with promises to fight against education cuts and increases to tuition fees, he seemed sincere, and the young voters flocked to his banner; later, once he’d secured a position in government he turned around and punched them in the face.
‘Don’t hate me’ Nick was heard to cry afterwards, ‘that big kid over there’, he turns and points at David Cameron and his minions, ‘that big kid over there said he’d hit me if I didn’t do it’.
With the breakdown of the Alternative Voting referendum a mere days ago, Nick is only just seeing how badly his irresponsibility has damaged his party and it is not an easy truth for him to swallow. Claims have been made (The Guardian.co.uk) that the Lib Dems have actually had a much more prevalent success influencing the state of the coalition, and the fulfilling of their manifesto pledges, than the Conservatives have, at least to date, by a 15% margin. This may well be the case, but the British public has little stomach to acknowledge progress on piffling, insubstantial, and most likely outdated areas of domestic policy whilst the Conservative beast is wild eyed and snarling in their face, gripping them by the lapels.
