http://www.student-direct.co.uk/2008/10/lighten-up-lib-dem-controversial-q-a-session/

 Nick Clegg visited the University of Manchester Students' Union last Thursday and made several incendiary comments that offended students in the audience.

 A gay student asked Mr Clegg about the Liberal Demcorat 'Homophobia is Gay’ campaign, with the student initially saying that he found it derogatory and actually being homophobic in itself as a campaign. After Mr Clegg told the student "to let it lie" and told him that the Lib Dems needed "a light hearted campaign", the student told Mr Clegg that he was a gay man and that he found that this sort of campaign added to homophobia. Mr Clegg's response was to tell the student to "lighten up". This clearly is not an appropriate comment from the leader of a mainstream party let alone the leader of a supposedly 'liberal' party.

http://www.southmanchesterreporter.co.uk/news/s/1039661_mp_and_students_in_rape_letter_row

 Mr Clegg was also asked whether he supported or condemned local Withington MP John Leech's comments, after the recent horrific rape of a Manchester student in which Lib Dem Mr Leech blamed other loud students making noises for the incident occurring. Rather than taking the opportunity to condemn Mr Leech, Mr Clegg said "that it is a laugh a minute here" and refused to answer, with Mr Leech launching into a tirade about the furore that his comments caused saying that he hadn't actually said the comments in question.

 Mr Clegg also confirmed his party's u-turn on tuition fees, which were in part responsible for his party's victory in Manchester Withington at the 2005 General Election.

 The Lib Dems really are a light weight party and they certainly seem to have a light weight leader who thinks that it is appropriate to tell a gay student to "lighten up" about homophobia.

 

as detailed in the Guardian

Anyone catch Nick Clegg on the Channel 4's The Political Slot last week going on about how prices are all going up. He illustrated how this hits people on "ordinary incomes" by buying some Cheddar cheese, at £18.60/kg ...

 

According to this Clegg is to back the Tories in a hung parliament - I wonder what the likes of Lynne Featherstone and Sarah Teather think of his plan to slaughter their majorities for the sake of some power?

Nobody seemed to like my last post about liberalism very much (or atleast they were apathetic enough to ignore it) so I decided that although blowing social liberalism's trumpet is not really an adequate topic for a dedicated Labour site (I am labour, but liberal labour and thus dislike Brown and Blair with an intensity) perhaps certain Labouritsis would enjoy reading something a little bit more critical of the party I'm currently affiliated with (the lib dims is apparently what their called around her (very clever)). Anyway if any of you are looking for a rather biased self critical analysis of the libdem leadership contest from the inside you've come to the right place,  enjoy!

At a fringe meeting of the Lib Dem conference, Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesman, Nick Clegg stated "if you are asking me would I stand against Ming, the answer is no".