The Idealism of Naivete

Respect is long overdue for the much downtrodden Liberal Democrats, and the last six decades of almost permanently being shoved into the also-rans in the British General Election race. Nick Clegg's acclaimed showing in the first ever presidential-style debate between the three main leaders may not win him the ticket to No. 10 - although it could well be of benefit to David Cameron if the Labour vote is squeezed.

In past years many of the Liberal Democrats' policies have been plagiarised by other parties; many of their ideas are fine in principle, without the hard-edged cynicism and compromise of ever having to get them made law once in Government. Nick Clegg himself struck me as rather fresh-faced and superficial - and his final 90-second summing up sounded more Party Political Broadcast than future leader of the nation - but much of what he said cried out to the audience as sound common sense.

I can't help but think of scores of his predecessors such as David Steel, Paddy Ashdown and especially Charles Kennedy, who were never allowed the opportunity to impress themselves on national TV in such a way.