BBC: Clegg’s policies closest to Obama’s

The Voice is indebted to James Graham for alerting LibDig.co.uk readers to this article on the BBC website:

Britain’s political leaders are naturally keen to be seen as Barack Obama’s political soulmate – but can any of them truly compare to the US President-elect? How do they measure up?

A tantalising intro… here’s what Brian says about the Lib Dem leader’s policies:

Barack Obama: Was against the Iraq war from the start and backs phased withdrawal of troops. He wants a “surge” in troops in Afghanistan and is open to negotiations with Iran. But it was the economy that defined his Presidential campaign. Plans targeted tax cuts for low and middle income families. Scrap Bush tax cuts for better-off households. Wants to reform healthcare and renegotiate free trade deals.

Nick Clegg: In tune with Obama on tax cuts for the lower and middle income groups and tax increases for high earners. The only one of the three to share the President-elect’s opposition to Iraq war at the time. And agrees now on need for timetable for withdrawal. Arguably less hawkish than Brown and Cameron on negotiations with Iran and shares a similar immigration policy to Obama – favouring earned citizenship for illegal migrants or, as critics prefer, an “amnesty”. But like the other two UK party leaders, would probably clash with Obama on free trade and protectionism.

Read more by or more about .
This entry was posted in News.
Advert

2 Comments

  • Clegg's Candid Friend 17th Nov '08 - 5:08pm

    I was intrigued by this comment in the section on “Oratory”:
    Clegg is starting to find his voice as an orator, although even his most ardent admirers would not put him in the same league as Obama.

    That phrase seems to ring a bell …

  • fantazamaraz 26th Nov '08 - 12:05am

    Regardless to appeasing rhetoric of any British political entity, as a uk citizen, I have yet to see a single uk politician who keeps their promises,gives a damn about their constituents and whose real agendas only involve looking after their
    own interests while the rest of us struggle to survive.! The fate cats get fatter while the poor and working classes
    get leaner.! I don’r care which party gets into power, the morons who control the uk government are peas in the same pod.!

Post a Comment

Lib Dem Voice welcomes comments from everyone but we ask you to be polite, to be on topic and to be who you say you are. You can read our comments policy in full here. Please respect it and all readers of the site.

To have your photo next to your comment please signup your email address with Gravatar.

Your email is never published. Required fields are marked *

*
*
Please complete the name of this site, Liberal Democrat ...?

Advert

Recent Comments

  • Jana
    I’m probably in a minority on this but…. How about we announce that we will not stand a candidate because we wish to support a candidate who supports PR,...
  • Jana
    “ This week National Rally president Jordan Bardella travelled to Reform’s Birmingham conference, where he and Farage announced a joint plan on Channel migr...
  • David Murray
    I agree with Rose's final comment. If we only bother in seats we can win or come second we won't make real progress. In May this year I stood in a ward that had...
  • Steve Trevethan
    Might David Allen’s most interesting comment support the hypothesis of Robert Dahl that “Western” democracies are not true/pure democracies but are polyar...
  • Nick Baird
    @Katherine Pindar - it's always struck me as fundamentally unfair that we tax income from work at a higher rate than income from investments and property due to...