Nick Clegg applies to send his son to the London Oratory School...Déjà vu?

It speaks volumes for the unstated, acute discomfort of Liberal Democrats that 90% of Liberal Democrat bloggers completely ignore this story and instead frantically attempt to cover it up by shooting the messenger, in the shape of the, admittedly highly dubious, Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-131923.html). So let's get back to the facts of the story:

Fact: Nick Clegg sells himself as atheist or agnostic
Fact: Faith schools are anathema to atheists and agnostics

Stephen Tall over on Liberal Democrat Voice states that Nick Clegg’s own views on faith schools are no secret and that 'within a month of his election as party leader in 2007, he set them out plainly': "If we are to create a society in which everyone has a fair chance in life, we need to focus on education, above all. Faith schools have an important role to play in that, and I am keen that they become engines of integration, not of segregation."

Well, he would say that wouldn't he? When making that statement he already knew that his children would be heading for some top catholic school and is, presumably, too clever to shoot himself in the foot. Children from homes with faith can perfectly happily be brought up in that faith by their family and their faith institution, without also going to a faith school.

A quick trawl of the history and context of the London Oratory makes it abundantly clear that it is highly selective, it's own website states the importance of 'interviews with parents and 'suitable' boys'.....Their Head was a member of a Tory Education Think Tank and openly goaded and challenged the Labour government by asking parents to cough up to 'cover the shortfall in funding'.

Our bloggers might all be good card carrying Liberal Democrats, I'm sure, but come on, just bite the bullet and admit that this is a shamelessly elitist choice by Clegg.

Love it or hate it, but don't deny it.

Nick & Dave in Conference Land?

I despair trying to explain to people how coalitions work and today I came pretty close to throwing in the towel altogether. According to the Liberal Democrat blogging site LibDemVoice, someone has apparently put forward the suggestion that Nick & Dave should address each other's party conferences.

Eh?!

Partners in a coalition coalesce – “coalesce, v., to mix together different elements”, note: DIFFERENT elements. I might marry some dubious dude but that doesn’t instantly morph me into a man. Parties that coalesce don’t become each other. So why on earth one political party would want to invite someone from a different political party to an internal political conference is beyond me. The fact that it’s even contemplated in the first place indicates that the contemplaters just don’t get it.

As a good card-carrying Social Liberal Democrat it’s enough of a test of strength to find myself in the same bedroom as Dave, and only just bearable due to the twin bed arrangement.

On a more serious note, there’s too much of a general whiff of the Tories being the ‘superior’ partners in this deal. They are no such thing. The Liberal Democrats can leave the playground anytime they like.

And no ‘yes buts…’ please. They can, end of.

When will the Brits get the hang of this and how can they best be educated in modern parliamentary practice?

Answers on a postcard please.