For Better and For Worse?

Like everyone else, I seem to have been somewhat election-obsessed for the past couple of weeks, leading to this blog being dominated by politics. As this isn't actually a politics blog, I'm aiming to try and give the subject a rest for a while now. However, before leaving the topic, I'd just like to offer a few final thoughts on recent events, (Jesus, I'm sounding like bloody Jerry Springer). First up, this Tory-Liberal coalition. Whilst I remain implacably opposed to it, I recognise that this position represents a degree of hypocrisy on my part. After all, if things had turned out differently, and it was a Lib-Lab coalition, I'd be hailing it as the greatest thing since sliced bread. That said, such a coalition would, at least, make some ideological sense. My greatest problem with this 'government of none of the talents' lies not with Dave and the Tories, but rather with 'Calamity' Clegg and his band of merry illiberals. I mean, you know where you are with Dave and his cronies - they're a bunch of over privileged bastards. But the Liberals, have we ever been sure what they actually stand for? Are they just opportunists? Well, I certainly think that's true of Clegg. If it had been someone like, say, Charles Kennedy, or David (now Lord) Steel, leading the Lib Dems into this coalition, I'd feel a lot happier. I'd feel reassured that they really were going into it with the intention of trying to implement some of their principles, rather than just to gain the power which has eluded them for so long. Sadly, after seeing the footage of various senior Lib Dems leaving the meeting which had ratified the coalition, it is clear that they wee simply hungry for power. You could see it in their eyes - they'd been dazzled by the bauble of power dangled in front of them by Clegg and Cameron.

Having said all that, it isn't all bad. If nothing else, this coalition might see the end of the ID cards scheme and various DNA databases. That alone is worth the price of admission. I'm afraid that civil liberties is an area where Labour really lost its way whilst in government. And that's the other good thing to come out of this - an opportunity for Labour to get back in touch with its roots and true values whilst in opposition. Finally, I feel moved to address the issue of The Sleaze's latest story, Well Hung Parliament (an expanded and rewritten version of 'In Bed With David Cameron' from a couple of posts ago). I'm not saying that I think either Cameron or Clegg are gay, for God's sake! Rather, I'm trying to parody the tone of the media reporting of the coalition. The negotiations behind it were presented as some kind of flirtation between the two men, a situation which hasn't changed now that they are in government. Just today The Guardian has a front page headline referring to them as 'The Happy Couple at No 10', whilst the theme is continued on the inside pages with headlines like 'After whirlwind romance, the big day', and 'Love, cherish and obey?'. That was just one newspaper. The TV channels have been just as bad. Personally, I think this tells us more about the sniggering, furtive attitudes to sex and relationships of the middle-aged, middle class men who dominate our media, than it does about Cameron and Clegg. So, there you have it. My final words (for now) on the subject of the election!