Tangled Up in Blue

I listened to Nick Clegg this morning and realised that in this secular society, we still have believers - in power. His defence of going into the coalition and winning some concessions was well rehearsed and delivered with religious zeal. Unfortunately, the supposed victories in setting up a coalition: a referendum on alternate voting, raising tax thresholds and tackling tax evasion pale into insignificance when tangled up in blue valedictories for many of our public services. 

Danny Alexander continues to believe that there must be an unprecedented wipeout of public expenditure and, anxious to step up to the mark of the esteemed David Laws, seems to have swallowed George Osborne's fantasy that reducing public spending more than Mrs Thatcher is the only solution. This is despite recent pronouncements by many bodies, including the OECD, that there is a real danger of the economy slowing down with another recession possible. There is a consensus emerging amongst economists that austerity measures could result in long-term damage to the GDP of the UK.  The Lib Dem leader seems to have bought into the deficit reduction programme without seeing its content or judging its impact.  As Nick Clegg seems to refrain from doing contrition here are some words for his next big speech as the real cuts, as opposed to threats, begin to bite with the onset of winter.

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling,

The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying.

'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.