Sir Nick Clegg interview on the coalition, David Cameron & Brexit | Unfiltered James O’Brien #17

[@tonyroy8123]

Nick Clegg is a polished, concise politician and very level headed. An asset to politics.

[@JCLeSinge]

Rather wish Clegg had shown this side of himself while he was in office. Not so much fought back more, as he put it, but just talked more honestly and openly. Wish all politicians would. If they brought this attitude to Parliament, the country would be in far better shape.

[@pastyman001]

Clegg was the same but not given a platform except relentlessly negative. Calamity Clegg in right wing media and zero achievements according to the Guardian.

[@MAGGIEANN71]

Full disclosure: I'm a Labour supporter. I enjoyed this exchange- we need more of this. I fear we are at risk at exchanging soundbites, without nuance.

[@chrisdurham109]

Soundbites which are uploaded and shown to completely different demographics. I always thought Nick was decent, the points he makes in this still show him to be one of the most well rounded politicians of his generation and his analysis has always been sanguine.

[@bwrwbleidlais156]

Same.

[@Tlevids]

The reason we didn't hear about his knighthood is because they kept it on the down low - there would have been public outrage if it had been properly broadcast.

[@alannahmum]

He sold the Scottish people down the river and every ounce of credibility he ever had as well as his soul the day he signed the vow in 2014. Shame on him

[@KarlHainer]

The best deputy PM the UK has ever had. Nick I miss you. Brexit is bollocks.

[@jordane1350]

When he started talking about "rampant unaccountable clique of old men" I was sure he was referring to the House of Lords

[@DaBoff99]

Second half of this interview I found profound and powerful. Illuminates past two years in UK politics, moving from centrist statesmen of 2015 candidates to caricatured far left, far right candidates of 2017 and probably the next election.

[@dankshorts6301]

Clegg is a lot more appealing than I thought he'd be. What he says about politicians discussing public opinion like the weather and lack of leadership I thought was great.

[@rigsby1454]

DANK Shorts he was a great politician. Unfortunately allowed power to corrupt

[@phosfer7853]

That's your summary of it all? Forget all the detail everybody because this one person has summed up 4 years of coalition into a TV trope.

[@Jamesp1972]

he compromised on tuition fees. For that we get Brexit. Thanks UK purists, kicked our best moderate politician into touch

[@oldskool4572]

Can never forgive the tuition fees debacle. He allowed power to corrupt him. He's a vacuous mouth piece. He says a lot of stuff that sounds good, but it means nothing. The man is a fraud.

[@teddybeddy123]

Not a Lib-Dem but I think Clegg should probably become the Lib-Dem leader again, he's a lot more appealing than I remember.

[@DameNelson]

Pity really he sounded genuine enough, but I've lost all trust in all politicians. None stick to their word. Always major egos and hidden agendas. I'd say that this is probably the case all over the world. I liked him on here but the moment he had the chance to make a difference he caved in.

[@pastyman001]

It's about the art of the possible with 50 MP's out of 650. They got a list of achievements but an appauling press

[@Theonevidz]

I highly doubt he had a choice. Conservatives had the majority of government. Lib Dem’s only had a small percentage of the seats. Therefore a small percentage of influence

[@chrispalmer7893]

Interesting when he talks about Tories saying "you upstart lefty, what right do you have to be here?" he might have specifically been talking about Liz Truss. He had a meeting with her when he was Deputy PM in which he was trying to reach a negotiated position but Truss just said "I'm a Conservative, I report to a Conservative Minister, you have no authority here." Which resulted in Clegg blocking pretty much everything she tried to do from that moment on - such is the negotiating genius of Liz Truss...

[@Rainex-my7jd]

2 millionaire middle class blokes discussing why people want change ? What do they know? perhaps one of them could sell their expensive home downsize and pay the money to the less fortunate and make a stand !! anyone for for starters? No thought not!!!

[@kristianbarford]

What an amenable, levelled, reasonable guy Nick Clegg seems to be.

[@helencairney677]

I would love to see James doing one of these with Jeremy Corbyn or John McDonnel. That would be most interesting. By the way, I think you're great James

[@foppo100]

You got some power in the coalition Nick and the Tories used you up to a point.The decisions made regarding public spending in my opinion did a lot of damage to the British fabric people on little money who could in no way fight back.The Austerity measures by Cameron and Osborne where downright nasty and mean.

[@optimus2008]

I still feel that while they could've certainly done better ways to cut the deficit, I think they were forced into these damage control austerity measures. You still had great job growth and the UK economy did manage to recover after that 2008 chaos, though I would think some of the measures were wrong.

[@marshalllucky]

Don`t forget Clegg promised to abolish student fees and then tripled them once he got into power. he then made a pop video taunting the student voters with his song ``I`m sorry `` . This man is despicable. Clegg we will NEVER forget what you did.

[@alannahmum]

I remember this well as I was one of those students

[@jezzer1969]

A few months ago the Spearmint Rhino in Sheffield retainer it’s licence. Channel 4 news interviewed three of the girls who worked there. One said she was relieved as she was using the money to finance her degree. So Cleggs contribution was to help triple student fees and encourage more young women into sex work. Disgraceful.

[@benfearfield57]

The Browne review that advised a tuition fee increase was commissioned by the Labour Party in November 2009. It was Peter Mandelson (of Gordon Brown’s government) who said in July 2009 that “excellent education does not come cheap” which hinted at a tuition fee increase anyway. The review, which was not completed until after the 2010 election, rejected the Libs late pledge of a “graduate tax” as there would be a an even greater shortfall in student funding. So Clegg could have either rejected the review at a time when wasted costs to the tax payer would have made headlines and possibly politically ruin him or back the review and make headlines that would possibly politically ruin him... he was re-elected in 2015. Students have worked in the ‘sex trade’ far longer than a single political decision made by Nick Clegg, if anything he ensured that they paid less tax on their income and had more to take home.

[@EasymasterGuru]

Riveting, revealing and enlightening interview. Thanks James!

[@danielwebb8402]

Junior coalition partners always get smashed. But I believe in proportional representation. Genius

[@nancykeenan1681]

Brilliant interview James

[@sjewitt22]

I know it's not important but if you look if lib dems did join labour then they got the greens and other small left wing parties +SNP to form a coalition they could of got enough seats in 2010.

[@danielwebb8402]

Exactly. Why didn't the remain campaign say "We need to stay as it is wonderful and you should feel more European than british". We because that would have won 250 votes. We aren't like the other EU countries because we aren't scared of Germany. EU started as France and Germany (yes) scared of Germany. Spain and Italy have been their current geography since, essentially, last Tuesday on a relative scale.

[@tygerbright117]

You don't have to become "the furniture" of government, if when you get in you actually change things from the neoliberal status quo!

[@sichambers9011]

Stephen Hughes That's the bit I found most telling. There was no real ambition for change - just a tinkerer. Broadly accept the status quo

[@tygerbright117]

Sorry, but as was made abundantly clear, by events, and this interview only confirms, his ambition was the status quo. A career politician who managed to say some of the right things. If he believed in some of his own words, he would have left the coalition very quickly indeed!

[@tygerbright117]

As I suspected a Lib Dem apologist! "moderate the Conservatives", dear me! I'll just use one word to ridicule this and their, vast achievement in Government, Austerity. But of course you will think this was necessary given "the sheer economic difficulties", of wealth bankers! "his ambition was the status quo" clearly explained by the term "career politician" . The guy was an an enabler of Austerity, and if he had a clear Ideology, other than this and a conscience, he would ended the coalition. Changing the First Past The Post system, all career politicians, when in power try to change, gerrymander, the system in their favor, believe the referendum was a condition of coalition, wonder why he lost that one!

[@tygerbright117]

It would be in the national interest, to have a government not implementing Austerity! "serious political instability and extreme financial instability" as an excuse for a Tory Lib Dem government implementing, "the only answer", Austerity is a ludicrous argument. Here's a video with Mark Blyth, one of many you should watch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qp7QeIevjamWipo Austerity negates anything the Lib Dems claim to have achieved, by "moderating the Conservatives". gerrymandering is changing the boundaries in your favor, PR is removing the boundaries in your favor, so yes PR is gerrymandering! but I don't mind PR, we would have a Labour government right now under PR.

[@tygerbright117]

It doesn't matter that it's about the US, it applies equally well here, with the implementation of neoliberalism undertaken for the past 35+ years in both countries. Have you really fallen for the slight of hand of, "tax cuts were given to middle class and lower income earners in the coalition" or do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for it! The least well of paid 36% of their income in tax, the wealthy paid less than 35% this is because Osborne cut top rate from 50p to 45p and increase VAT to 20% This before you get to the cuts under Austerity, that affect people on lower incomes. www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/budget-2015-50-cuts-tory-led-5354805 There is an alternative to bailing banks, thus creating massive public debt, this was not bailing the banks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHO0ZYCCpMmJgbc When you say there was no "viable alternative to a Con-LD coalition" do you mean their policies or that we couldn't have had another election? "the Lib Dems never wished to carry out austerity", if this is the case and you don't agree with this ideology you leave government, if its against your beliefs. Austerity and neoliberalism are political ideologies, it's naive to believe if you're in a government implementing these, you somehow aren't responsible.

[@harveybrown37]

you talk of riots in Athens but I note you omit to mention that students rioted in London the day you signed your poisonous coalition with Cameron.to call this a very 'personal account' by Nick Clegg is putting it mildly

[@leegibbs1727]

Yawn

[@adamsmith3242]

These two complain about Paul Dacre leading public opinion towards Brexit and yet Nick Clegg thinks it’s quite legitimate to lead public opinion towards Remain.

[@edders2009]

Adam Smith The difference is that Nick hasn't edited our 2nd biggest newspaper for a ¼ century.

[@woodcake274]

And the Daily Mail portrays itself as a mix of reliable news source and voice of the many, rather than just the opinion of (a) shady wealthy right-winger(s).

[@sichambers9011]

The daily mail isn't democratically elected. It's a paper that in the past supported Hitler

[@dawn5227]

He was right about his assumption for change. But then he decided to ignore his pledges and just fall in line with the conservatives.

[@Galathorn]

He didn't "just fall in line". In order to have a functional coalition sacrifices needed to be made from both sides. Else it wouldn't be a coalition. I find it amusingly sad that people think of a coalition as something simple and easy to achieve. Plus, without the LibDems the Tories would have done much nastier things. The LibDems not only prevented that, but they also put forward policies like the increase in personal allowance, legalisation of same-sex marriage and the pupil premium.

[@ravenorama]

Clegg's knighthood is for forming a coalition with the Tories after the 2008 crash, enabling an establishment bail-out and decades of austerity for everybody else, which has led us directly to Brexit.

[@timcomley5948]

Lot of guesswork in that

[@simonjandrell5897]

IT IS NICE TO BE RECOGNISED FOR WHAT YOU DO??? WHAT DID HE DO???????? AH YES STUDENT FEES

[@jayamber4448]

Same sex marriage, AV referendum, successfully mitigated austerity to name a few

[@regvarnie]

Clegg, a human being possessing some of the depth of a thimble and the natural charm of a fencepost.

[@MarsBorg]

What did the students chant when you stabbed them in the back NICK KLEG? "NICK CLEGG, We know you! You're a fucking Tory too"!

[@chrissaltaur1254]

Clegg lost his seat for three reasons... Brexit, Brexit and for being a Fanatical Remainer. His betrayal of students was also a reason, but in 2017 this was secondary to Brexit, as he was re-elected in 2015. You would never get James O'Brien giving an easy ride to Brexiters. This is a shame as O'Brien was once upon a time a man of the people but now he denounces Brexiters (many of whom are the working poor in the UK) as being people of 'low intelligence', 'misinformed' 'led by racists' etc. Anna Soubry will go the same way as Clegg in the next general elections - she's not that deluded, and as a dishonest MP knows what would happen if she called a By Election in her constituency.. the same fate similar to Jacqui Smith and others who defied the people.

[@erzan]

25:37 The new votes will come from today's teenagers who are growing up more educated and liberal. The Conservatives are clinging on to the Grey middle class and uneducated working class vote but this alliance of voters is dying. The views of 16 - 45s year olds are broadly similar and different to the over 45s.

[@pinchermartyn3959]

Lived by the sword, died by the sword. Weren't those his own words. Bye bye Clegg.

[@bethanyhunt2704]

There are still a LOT of people who didn't turn out to vote at the last election - those are the people we have to convince that it's worth voting, to get a cert Labour win. So many politicians just write off people who don't regularly vote, as though there's something wrong with the voter, when in fact it's a sign that there's something wrong with the politicians!

[@nevajism]

if they were speaking in a different language it would sound like they were having an intelligent conversation- and alot of people have fallen for this kind of packaging until quite recently

[@joewakeford]

Another great one James!

[@tonydavenport100]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p36Qqn6gj72hmNk Jeremy Corbyn's double act joke with Sadiq Khan two most dangerous demonic beings in the UK English people have been demoralized if America does not come to our rescue once again then what are we to do Nigel Farage his hands are tied he has to be very careful what he says BBC have to be taken down this is the biggest problem in the UK is the media BBC Sky News. wake up England !

[@westneilc]

lol wot

[@tonydavenport100]

cannot stop them from destroying themselves but you can certainly stop them from destroying you amen

[@westneilc]

Tony truth ok mate 😒

[@cbak12sg]

He says his history teacher told him we’d all be burnt to a crisp by Christmas. Anyone who thinks that shouldn’t be a teacher.

[@sophielee271]

Found this really fascinating. Thank you

[@alingard1]

JoB one of the best interviewres there is. fascinating revealing interview.

[@MrIvarlira]

Great interview

[@Josh-ek8qq]

I love these interviews, fantastically candid. Clegg is a thoroughly decent man.

[@TheGatesOfFire]

His position is to abolish the house of Lords and he accepts a knighthood. Sort of like making a promise and then braking it. You also had an army of students that you used to get seats then sold out. Seems to be a proper sell out.

[@neolibenthusiast7142]

but one thing doesn't have to do with another. Knights don't automatically get a seat in the lords. and a knighthood is a fancy way that the state, through the queen, can recognize a person of particular importance achievement, or merit.

[@stephentuthill4598]

Nick Clegg was always an outstanding statesman, and he remains to be. I am pleased as a Liberal Democrat that he was our leader, and did the job he had to do.

[@grahamwallner603]

He’s nice to Clegg isn’t he???

[@25Canary]

"Unfiltered by James O'Brien" 'Unchallenged' more like. 60 minutes and didn't ask him about tuition fees... Particularly enjoyed Clegg's comedy around public opinion...not surprised he doesn't trust it after losing his seat in 2015

[@rolandrothwell4840]

Clegg is compelling, and a balanced politican who had little option to get into Coalition. Minority Conservative government or another election at a socially and economically fragile position 🤔

[@michaelcee6826]

Sounds like some old lady got the better of him, next week it will be a 10 year old kid

[@bwrwbleidlais156]

#freethemillionbees #swarm #fierce

[@MrRRHHMM]

SIR Clegg .... Really !!!!! ?? lol...lol....

[@JOE_co_uk]

Really!

[@mimosapudika7197]

He was popular pairing with David. Is he still now?

[@AnEnemy100]

If you see any more wooden horses on the lawn, just burn them.

[@caxzrockz]

This man should be forgotten about totally agree with Barry Gardner he got into bed with the enemy.

[@rogersrogers4721]

Failed politician now got a job with Face Book, what a load of rubbish

[@indricotherium4802]

Oh dear! Sir Nick. Dire political failure at his party's level but establishment recognition for leading his party into that coalition in which, if we remember, Nick stressed 'our responsibility at a time of national crisis' implying, less vocally, '*uc* the core values of our supporters.' Yep that's the way to a gong in this country. He's all proud and chirpy, isn't he?

[@lina-zz9kk]

Caldicott school was no laughing matter

[@radboo4384]

lifetime sophistry in fine fettle

[@sonicfoxxmusic4281]

Nick Clegg. This is a really tough call to make. I've been pondering writing something "positive" about Nick Clegg. Problem is, this is the fourth time i've tried to work my way through this interview(sorry James) and it's become THAT book which we pick up and put down after two pages...then you go back again..SAME...then again...SAME...then again...SAME and finally i thought, I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE...i'd rather sit and fish. Nick Clegg needs to change..SOMEHOW...but i don't know how. How can a human being do this to someone? How can he remind me of a book i don't want to read?..this shouldn't have come to this but...... GOD, i don't know........i'm stumped, completely. It sounds like he's amazed that he became an M.P.................here's the thing Nick, I think most people are amazed you became an M.P. Billy Connolly once said on stage.. "ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO OR HAS A DESIRE TO GO INTO POLITICS...probably shouldn't be an M.P"...he may have had a point. Sorry Nick..no offence intended but how can anybody make a COMMENT and this box is for that purpose, when the person you are trying to comment about frustrates the hell out of you(for no apparent reason)..and then writes a silly book which pissed 17.4 million people+ off in a heartbeat. You obviously need a talented agent who doesn't mind falling asleep every now and again while you're talking. I'm sure you are a lovely person Nick but.....probably too good for Politics.Time to go fishing brother methinks.

[@matinalancaster6254]

its fascinating that us music bods can see this bs a mileoff. Tracey Ulman should do a sketch on him too. "Its the Cleggy show", I can just imagine it as a sketch in the Panorama Bar in Berlin! EEek.

[@redgeorgieredgeorgie]

It's a very subjective thing if you find someone boring or not. Personally I find the opera and the Archers incredibly dull, but I know others who love them. Ultimately it's about what they're saying, not how they say it. A fact is a fact and a lie is lie, regardless of who's saying it.

[@matinalancaster6254]

cleggy is so full of contridictions, give us a boring truthful honest politician anyday. Fed up with the bs , spin, dishonest and manipulative, fakeness. We need real honest politicans who really care for the people, who listen to our concerns and act on them. Many people are just very angry with the lies we have been fed for years and years. The honest ones get ridiculed whilst the "spinners " get promoted.

[@sonicfoxxmusic4281]

I totally get what you are saying RedGeorgie...the word SUBJECTIVE fills my life on most days as a songwriter as you can imagine(all music being totally subjective...and we have to take endless criticism..which we do). The crazy part is i felt exactly the same way about Tim Farron. He made me want to go to sleep withing a minute of him talking(when he left i swear i looked at my T.V. screen and uttered something like.."THANK GOD FOR THAT!!"). Then i start thinking about Sir Vince Cable...and he's mind-numbing and more out of touch. Where are these people arriving from? We had stronger folk with more charisma, knowledge, drive and better delivery in a meeting at my daughter's School Committee. I look back now and realise that Cameron was no better. Politicians are about as boring as Steve "boring" Davis...at least he knew and did something about it! The whole House of Commons needs a big broom and a clean sweep of these characterless, spineless, boring bloody fools who have found desire to go into politics....for some strange reason. I know Jacob Rees-Mogg...met the dude eight years ago. I told him then that he would make a strong and intelligent Prime Minister as long as he didn't bonk an egg-woman!!...you work it out.

[@jonathanmitchell420]

Shame it wasn't longer. I would have been interested in more of his views on the 2017 election, the changes in other parties for it and on Corbyn.

[@jameswilliams7026]

Pretty uninspiring politician. Hes a nice guy but the problem is that nice guys finish last

[@OldglenSea-cw4ps]

Two fucking creeps together!

[@cbarclay99]

Clegg is a complacent man comforted by the prospect of generous EU and Parliamentary pensions. His description of European politics is highly selective and self-serving. 'Mainstream politics' has imploded in many European countries. France is ruled by En Marche, a party that was created in 2016! Italy is ruled by two parties that did not exist (Cinque Stelle) or did not exist in its current form (La Liga) a few years ago. In other countries, 'mainstream politics' is clinging on by its fingertips. Only a lurch leftward saved the PSOE from being eclipsed by Podemos in Spain and Cuidadanos is likely to take over from the PP as the main centre-right party. The AfD is the official opposition in Germany where the Social Democrats are a spent force. The Freedom Party is in the Austrian coalition government. '... especially the Greeks ... feeling that they are now at the top table of democracy.' Just which Greeks has Clegg spoken to? The corrupt politicians who have moved their ill-gotten gains to Germany? Surveys show that most Greeks loathe the EU. They see their country as being economically occupied by the Germans as absolutely as when there were Panzers on the streets of Athens. Clegg also chooses to ignore the 'visceral' feelings that Eastern Europeans had to being overrrun by Muslim refugees invited to tramp across their countries by the German Chancellor.

[@lorendaappel-eeson2265]

Do not give up on Europe fight for every university students right to work in Europe we are in a bonsai pot and my brain has been put on air in Milton keynes impeach Teresa may and take over no 10 you are the best politician and I would like to ask for your assistance

[@jimusgrimus]

Sir Nick Clegg.............Tuition Fees Betrayal..........and a nice little job when he left politics..........just another gravy train rider

[@slowdivebreeze1]

just find o'brien odious and elitist.

[@adamtzsch]

Knighted for political and public service? Do me a favour. How about “services to self”?

[@malcolm9994]

The 'LIAR' Clegg

[@orlando124431]

Shame he sold his soul to the meta

[@cthoadmin7458]

We could have had someone like Clegg or Miliband in government. Instead pantomime toffs. In Britain, being qualified to hold office, disqualifies you.

[@grahamhunter1982]

Liar liar

[@criticalmass3829]

James only interviews liberals like him, you can practically predict his list of interviewees yawwn

[@tomherbert2361]

Vinny Scottoni what do you get out of pointless lies? You surely can't actually be that stupid... Surely?

[@criticalmass3829]

And here we go with the" tolerant" liberal response. I won't stoop to your level and insult you back but take a look at who hes' interviewed. Russell Brand, Lilly Allen, Gary Linker, need I go on. Where exactly have I lied? He manipulates every conversation to suit his own political agenda, does the same on his radio show. I'll await your barrage of insults now because I disagree with you x

[@tomherbert2361]

Vinny Scottoni farage?

[@tomherbert2361]

What conclusion? U said he has only ever interviewed lefty liberals. I said what about farage... What do you find laughable about that?

[@criticalmass3829]

I was referring to the people he's interviewed on joe.co (seeing as joe.co is the show we are discussing here) I know full well that he interviewed Farage on LBC but as you know on this show he only interviews liberals like himself.

[@ianbanks3016]

A very soft interview indeed.

[@stephenisom6089]

SIR DICK HEAD .//LORD OF BREXSHIT //KNOWALL .WI MP ./////

[@radboo4384]

snake

[@peternicho]

What a silly man who lacks the ability to tell the truth.

[@JohnAnderson-xs5tr]

Stood it for just short of 4 minutes. Both bore the pants off me or simply annoy me, and always have. Funny that.

[@redgeorgieredgeorgie]

Why did you attempt to watch it then if you already know they both bore you?

[@SanRemoMotelBar]

If they've always annoyed you, why did you try? No one is making you watch it

[@chrisdurham109]

Stick to youtube funnies and porn, the attention span is clearly a problem.

[@westneilc]

yeah its a pain to listen and think isn't it. Better go back to reading the sun mate.

[@leonsealefinch218]

First veiw like comment

[@FloodedFortuna]

He comes across like he enjoys a drink or 20

[@mattnolan5527]

Stalinist james o brien

[@mattnolan5527]

you half baked ponce

[@tomherbert2361]

What?

[@mattnolan5527]

well exactly he could never be a stalin figure he hasn't got the sand but he would support stalins terror and purge mass genocide just as all left cretins do

[@westneilc]

yeah asking questions and highlighting facts you don't like is annoying isn't, better go back to the nice comfort blanket of your right wing news owned by establishment foreign billionaires feeding you shit daily :)

[@DJMavis]

The people on the right really are thick as fuck it would appear.

[@handtapper7534]

First

[@mustaphagusau7685]

First to comment

[@lordoffrog2354]

Clique of old men ? Clique of old Jewish men you mean

[@deanfitzsimmons]

Why are you being Antisemitic?

[@danielc6560]

fuck off pepe

[@philharrison9893]

One day, little Pepe, you will look back upon these exchanges and feel embarrassed.