The Grandson of Baroness Kira von Engelhardt told not to cycle to work

[Gromit]

Yes, Nick Clegg has been advised not to Cycle to Downing Street in case a baying mob of students rip him apart and display his entrails in the Student Bar.

Apparently, they are cross that he promised one thing before the election, and then when the students put him in power, he promptly did the opposite.

The other woolly Lib Dems have also been selected for special attention today, how will they cope?

http://www.telegraph....m-angry-students.html

Should the Lib Dems do a U-Turn on their U-Turn, or stick to their lack of principles?

[jackthehat]

The grand-daughter of Amy Stewart understands the difference between that which the Lib Dems hoped to be able to do and the reality of the situation with which they were confronted.

She can also appreciate that the students may be a little miffed but hopes that as they mature they will understand that often compromises have to made and unpalatable decisions have to be taken and that it is better to do so, for the greater good, than to slavishly stick to 'principles' and hamper improvement

[reefer]

You can read that as, The students may be a little miffed but one hopes as they get older understand that the libdems lie and are just as dishonest as the Tories.

[jackthehat]

You can read that as, The students may be a little miffed but one hopes as they get older and understand that there are larger issues in the country than the status of their own grants..........they may come to realise that compromise is usually the best option.

[anotheoldgit]

/// case a baying mob of students rip him apart and display his entrails in the Student Bar.///

Since I cannot read anything referring to this in the link, I can only assume this is a figment of Gromit's mind.

Oh! the workings of the Left's mind.

/// There were fears that the Deputy Prime Minister could be knocked from his bicycle or pelted with objects.///

I wonder what would be said if the EDL went even a little way towards causing such violence, in their protest at the politicians lack of condemnation against the ever increasing rise of Islam fundamentalists in this country?

Well for a start they would not be allowed to march, especially taking the route suggested by the 'Education Activist Network' and since they had only just recently caused mayhem before.

/// The Education Activist Network called for students taking part in a “Carnival of Resistance” to gather in Trafalgar Square, before marching to Parliament and on to Lib Dem HQ at Cowley Street, finishing up at Downing Street.///

The 'Education Activist Network' (EAN) will these three letters go down in infamy? The EDL are just pussy cats in comparison.

[jno]

"the difference between that which the Lib Dems hoped to be able to do and the reality of the situation with which they were confronted"

The situation was plain enough before the election. Clegg just chose to mislead people about the LibDems' intentions. I can't see any reason why students shouldn't protest about being lied to.

[jackthehat]

I think when Clegg signed his pledge, he fully intended to honour it (cynics may say that it was only because he never expected to actually be in a position where he would be put to the test), but on 'coming to power' and having a first proper shuftie at the nations 'books' it became apparent that something would have to give somewhere.

I don't think that he lied, but I can understand why the students feel as if they were lied to........

[Gromit]

Looks like a blatant like jack, if you believe the Trotskyist guardian.

// The Liberal Democrats were drawing up plans to abandon Nick Clegg's flagship policy to scrap university tuition fees two months before the general election, secret party documents reveal. //

http://www.guardian.c...ms-tuition-fees-clegg

[jno]

I'm not so sure about that, jack

http://www.guardian.c...ms-tuition-fees-clegg

At most I suspect he made his pledge with his fingers crossed thinking 'I wonder if I'll get away with this' - and he hasn't.

[jno]

mmm, yeah, what Gromit said

[jackthehat]

As the Laconians said, "If........."

[DrFilth]

honest nick tell lies , never :)

[ludwig]

// Apparently, they are cross that he promised one thing before the election, and then when the students put him in power, he promptly did the opposite. //

The students didn't put him in power. David Cameron did, and vice versa.
The Libdem result was actually pretty p1ss poor considering all the hype after the televised debate.

[ludwig]

..so to be fair, he didn't win the election or come anywhere near winning the election - he's the junior partner in a coalition, which means that
a) He doesn't have a mandate..
b) ..or the authority
..to implement Libdem manifesto promises.

so, in answer to the question - should he u-turn on his u-turn - there's no question about it for reasons a and b above.

[rov1200]

The dates may change but people do not

///"Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely"


Origin
This arose as a quotation by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:///

[jno]

actual quote

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

So Clegg may feel he is a great man.