Today the second debate on EU membership takes place between our Nick Clegg and UKIP leader Nigel Farage.
The image you see before you will be beaming down on commuters and shoppers in Tottenham Court Road, one of London’s busiest areas from around now. At least I think that’s the case. I’m only from Scotland.
It’s also fair to say that no social media timeline will be safe from the image of Cameron and Miliband missing in action while our kickboxing hero stands up for British jobs.
My top tip for the Cleggster would be to basically do what he did last week. He needs a slightly better answer to the Referendum question. It’s all very well to say what he’s done in Government and how this is a consistent Liberal Democrat position, but he might want to add in that Europe comes around 18th on people’s lists of priorities. If there is a parliamentary majority for a referendum, like there was in Scotland, then we’ll have one. Until then, there is no need.
All over the country, Liberal Democrats will be gathering in houses and pubs with their debate bingo cards (now hastily redrawn to include Putin) to watch Nick in action. From Swansea, to Orpington (where the Liberal club has incredibly good beer) to Yorkshire, Edinburgh and beyond, Team Nick is mobilising.
Tim Farron, speaking about the debate and the new poster, said:
David Cameron and Ed Miliband have ducked these debates. Nick Clegg is the only political leader prepared to put his neck on the line and stand up for British jobs.
Nick leads the Party of IN, Nigel Farage leads the Party of OUT and Cameron and Miliband are missing in action. A vote for Labour or the Conservatives in May’s European elections is a wasted vote. Neither is prepared to stand up and tell us what they think.
The truth is the Conservatives are completely divided on Europe, with many of them openly flirting with exit. Labour are sticking their heads in the sand – they won’t lift a finger to protect British jobs and keep us in the EU.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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5 Comments
We need a strong internationalist lead from Nick to take the argument on.
I agree with your point about the referendum question. He needs to spell out that we only have referendums when we have a constitutional change. Reminding people that we had a referendum about changing the voting system to AV rather than one about continuing with FPTP. Admittedly, we might even have won a referendum about getting rid of FPTP .
Hmm, can’t say I agree with the graphic above. To qualify as “missing in action”, you surely have to be “in action” at some stage, and, in the case of the EU, neither Labour or the Conservatives can lay claim to doing so…
I have faith Nick can do it tonight.
Viviane Reding is proud that the EU makes 70% of laws, why is not Nick Clegg, in fact he actually denied it last night, why? this is an achievement LibDems should be applauding