Clegg under pressure - sort of!

Nick Clegg is obviously being got at by those in the press who are not LibDem fans. The Daily Telegraph is reporting that he is "under pressure" over expense funding. That pressure is happening because the Telegraph has just adjusted the thermostat. I do love the terminology that the media uses. Yesterday the BBC said Clegg "attacked" Gordon Brown. When I saw it the scene looked like a toothless terrier that was just barking serenely. I'll tell you what a verbal attack is. George Osborne rounding on Alistair Darling. Now that was rather personal.

If we are going to have politicians attacking people, let it be like John Prescott trying to lay a punch on the public or Quintin Hogg lashing out with an umbrella. That's attacking stuff.

The media misuse words in much the same way as they allege misuse of public funds by MPs. This morning, Nick Robinson the political editor of the BBC (who seems to end his carefully scripted reports in rather the same manner as an episode of The Archers) reported that a voter who had thought of voting BNP had now switched to the LibDems on the strength of Clegg's performance last week.

Nick Clegg has got as far as he has on suggesting a plague on both your houses. The BNP suggests a plague on all three. If the Daily Telegraph pumps this up too much all that will happen is that those that are wavering will flow towards those with a strong and vulgar message. That former BNP voter could become a bit firmer by returning. Also, the Tories are not clean on the expenses issue, highlighted of course in the Telegraph exposure (on a relentless basis). The scandal still excites as witnessed by STV's Scottish leaders' debate when a couple of audience members amplified their disgust.

What is that saying? Oh yes, "Be careful what you wish for!".