Nick Clegg announces his resignation as leader of the Liberal Democrats

[@SempiternalScientist]

What a dignified exit for one of the most respected and brave politicians of our age...said no one ever.

[@nickbonzer]

SempiternalScientist ha ha ha ha !!!!!

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

SempiternalScientist i'd say that… so that's 1 person at least.

[@lydiacroft8038]

Make that 2

[@TheDeathsReclaimer]

The Conservatives were always the political party for me. But through their joyous triumphs, I feel deeply gutted to witness such a great leader step down from his party. The Lib Dems had a leader who truly showed support to his people, and through a small mistake, his actions have been wrongly frowned upon. Farewell my friend, the Liberal Democrats have lost an inspiration.

[@maxwellfan55]

***** A leader is defined by someone who knows when to step down. Clegg waited to do so only after destroying his party. History will not be so kind.

[@TheDeathsReclaimer]

maxwellfan55 I'm afraid, a leader can be so much more than just knowing when to stand down. Clegg lead his party through terrible times, gave commitment to his members, but most of all, offered hope to the Liberal Democrats. And yes, he made mistakes, but yet he accepted these and took full responsibility for his actions. That, in my opinion, is the definition of a leader. Until people can realise this, the history books will not treat them so kindly.

[@maxwellfan55]

***** I appreciate your opinion but we beg to differ. I hope we agree that international politics is a tough place, but rather than the 'terrible times' you describe, the LD's enjoyed actual power and shared political decision making after existing in the wilderness for decades. Politically, I call those 5 years very good times for Liberal Democracy. History will reveal Cameron bent backwards to try to accommodate Clegg's ludicrous liberal policies yet to me he always appear ungracious, weak and high minded within the coalition. Let us now state the facts. Under the leadership of Nick Clegg he flunked it, under his leadership Nick Clegg robbed his party of all but the minimal of LD representation, and virtually wiped his party out, perhaps for ever. Damn right he accepts responsibility. Commitment is a noble virtue but as for Clegg offering his party hope? That's a bit like the captain of the Titanic offering hope to the passengers of a sinking ship that sinks to the depths with nearly all hands. I hardly call that good leadership do you? Like Miliband his popularity was low, he had been advised to step down, he didn't, they lost. Badly. Peace and Love.

[@xRustVolux]

maxwellfan55 On the surface it may appear that he destroyed the Lib Dems. But he was faced with an incredibly tough decision. Do I compromise some of my parties beliefs and put the Lib Dems on the map, while managing to force some of our policies through and water down the Tory idealisms? Or do I stick to the Lib Dem guns and refuse to get into bed with the Tories, allowing the 2 party politics to carry on, and keep my party out of the game? In the end, I think he made the right choice and the Liberal Democrats were unfairly blamed for everything wrong that happened in the last 5 years, while the Conservatives got through and gained more seats. Personally, I do not support any of the main UK parties. I am Scottish and support the SNP.

[@TheDeathsReclaimer]

Shaun Lennon Nice to see another agree. Indeed as mentioned, I am a right wing supporter, but the actions of the Coalition were wrongly blamed upon the Liberal Democrats, and for that alone, the voting system was undoubtedly cruel. Such an honest man having to step down, quite sad indeed.

[@19coyote80]

A great speech. Hope they can recover.

[@maxwellfan55]

19coyote80 A joke? This is a disaster for the LD's and UK politics.

[@nickbonzer]

19coyote80 im not often tempted to reply in the following manner but for you ill make an exception .......go to hell !

[@nickbonzer]

Buck Partington Here here

[@idiotsloveboxes]

Nope

[@SmithRoweRecords]

I'm not a Lib Dem but I have no qualms in saying that Nick Clegg was easily the best orator of the leaders. A real decent and honorable man. He'll be missed in frontbench politics.

[@Jagdtoq]

Just go Nick, just go

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

Jagdtoq he was a great leader of a great party and they didnt deserve that they got. they did a lot of good over the last 5 years, but people don't see that; they only focus on the negatives. whatthehellhavethelibdemsdone.com/#10

[@davphi6103]

Davie Cameron's condom. Used, full, discarded......forgotten............ooops, slippery

[@3chel3]

The foolish decision by Clegg, and his party, to sleep with the devil has come home to roost. If Clegg had agreed to a "confidence and supply arrangement" in 2010 Cameron would have been finished.The Tory back bencher's, who hate him to this day, were sharpening their knives before Cameron he saved himself by cobbling together the coalition. Clegg propped up Cameron and look how he's been repaid for that foolish move. Cameron has survived stronger and Clegg and his party are ruined. A massive career error that will haunt him for the rest of his life with the Lib-dems that advised him to do it now also ruined and similarly haunted by a terrible mistake.

[@3chel3]

***** Indeedy, the weird side to this whole thing is that often people in power, throughout history, fall and end up dead in a ditch. How British it is that all the LibDem's who, don't forget were in power in one of the richest nations in the world, have all just disappeared to sit in their large houses and gardens and into the dustbin of history. For all his sophistication, and wealth, Clegg must feel like a miserable failure or at worst a broken man.

[@ukanian]

***** Worth noting that Cameronn is probably a preferable devil-we-know in charge of Tories as a relatively moderate guy if we're going to say it's bad he was able to stay on as leader. Confidence and supply was a discussion made possible by the initiation of the concept of coalitions and anyway is a shadowy arrangement which Clegg clearly did not believe in the legitimacy of.

[@davidjohnbrewer]

What a brilliant speech, this man and the lib dems do not deserve this kicking. They worked hard for this country. And I say this as a conservative.

[@SIXITHS]

Thankfully their voters saw through this flavour of delusion...

[@Goldstone93]

Saw this speech and joined the Lib Dems the same day.

[@meenakshiminnis9460]

Ditto

[@SIXITHS]

Drawn to a lack of morals? Strange.

[@Shortandslicked911]

I didn't vote for the Liberal Democrats but it has to be said that Mr Clegg behaved with dignity at all times , the complete opposite of the likes of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon , the only things missing there was the word " bully " written across their foreheads .

[@aarons1998]

This speech inspired me to join the Lib Dem Party

[@PerfectSnowball]

I'm confused. Five years ago, one of his main policies was to scrap tuition fees, but because he agreed to be the secondary party in a coalition with the Tories, he wasn't able to keep that promise. The result was the other night's complete obliteration, of not the party who were actually responsible for raising the fees, but the party who'd promised they'd do the opposite. The Tories raised tuition fees and got away with it scot-free. The Liberal Democrats, who were perhaps slightly ignorant to join with the Tories knowing they wouldn't be able to stick to all of their manifesto, paid for it on Thursday night with over forty of their seats. Clegg's mistake was not emphasising the situation enough. The absolutely shocking thing is, the majority of those seats went to the Tories. Do you not see the irony in that? The fact that Nick couldn't stick to his policy about tuition fees was the sole reason everyone turned their backs on him, so never in a million years would you expect everyone to instead choose the party who were directly responsible for the tuition fee rise. I just can't get my head around some people's logic. Fucking turkeys voting for Christmas.

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

PerfectSnowball indeed. the poor lib dems took all the blame for all the stupid stuff the tories did. lib dems did a hell of a lot of good, but people only see the negatives.

[@nickbonzer]

PerfectSnowball oh my god.....what are you talking about.....Your missing the fact that he was a weak spineless politician that had about as much honesty and charisma as a turd

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

Johhny England you have your opinions and we'll have ours. but evidently he's quite charismatic or he would never have made it to deputy prime minister, and if he's so "weak" and "spineless" then how did he and the lib dems get a lot of their policies passed and manage to block loads of the tories stupid policies? yes, he made some stupid promises that he knew he wouldnt keep, but basically ever politician lies - thats a fairly widely accepted fact. so singling out him is just unjust and hypocritical.

[@nickbonzer]

Whyisa Someoneelse let me get this straight....your calling me a hypocrite????...what am I being hypocritical about ..i just tell it like it is.......He got there because he looked the part and the bit your forgetting about todays politics apart from the broken promises and the lies is that its a media circus...his face fitted no more that that....but that does not make him a good politician and that does not mean he has a spine or the ability to juggle media and people ....both of which he failed to do

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

Johhny England i agree he's evidently not the best politician and he didn't deal great with the media, because it ended up presenting him and the lib dems in a bad light, but that doesn't make him weak and spineless, because he managed to get a fair amount of stuff done considering they were the small party in a coalition, so he obviously had a bit of a spine. the "best politician" is probably david cameron. i don't like him and i think he's a bit of a dick, but i admit he's a good politician. doesn't mean i want him running the country.

[@draculanova6548]

Nick Clegg for president!!!

[@Greenpoloboy3]

I knew he was going to go, it was no surprise. I remember saying to myself a few days ago that Natalie Bennett will undoubtedly be the next Prime minister and Nick Clegg will certainly resign, so i am 50% right, which is impressive

[@claireskilton3352]

Well said Nick Clegg. Analysed the situation perfectly.

[@SIXITHS]

He bears a heavy responsibility for bringing in the long 12 years of tory fiasco. History will not forget that.

[@kelly6521]

Nick Clegg's resignation speech always makes me think of the Simpsons episode where Homer takes on the garbage men but nobody wants to pay them. The original councillor walks in and goes "welp, you're all screwed".

[@musaaudu5184]

This day came 5 years too late! It came 3 years too late for students he lied to and whose education bills are higher than downpayments on mortgages. I think given his tv adverts promising low tuition fees and making them 3x more than they were is 'cruel' and 'unfair', and his patronising on politics and leadership a farce for someone who lied on tv in one of the biggest deceptions in British politics of recent years!

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

Musa Audu lib dems didnt raise tuition fees tho, tories did. lib dems just did oppose them, but then not did labour or any of the other parties so why do lib dems get all the shit about it? they broke a promise, yes, but there was no other option and a rise in fees was inevitable anyway. lib dems did us a world of good - theres more to life than just tuition fees you know. whatthehellhavethelibdemsdone.com/#10

[@musaaudu5184]

You say they broke a promise like your not 27k in debt for an education. Let me how back seat driving works for you and I will let you know how front seat works for me. Inevitability is not 27k for a degree that is free and more read I available in other countries. I suggest you lecture when You're faced with a bill - I mean hymn sheet. I shalnt reply to any more of your posts. 

[@whyisasomeoneelse4597]

dude, im a student too. i get it completely, and i still don't blame them. what i said was true - the didnt raise the fees (they capped them at £9,000 as apposed to £12,000 like the tories and labour wanted). i understand why your pissed, i hate the fees too, everyone does, but it was going to happen anyway. and i like the lib dems for loads of other reasons, and uni fees in retrospect arent the most important thing in the world.

[@SIXITHS]

3:04 -This is a biblical level of self-serving delusion.

[@thedoctorand]

Should have left 4 and a half years ago.

[@EOTA564]

While I have to confess that I'm happy that the Conservatives have achieved a majority, I have some sympathy of the Lib Dems. They stepped up to the plate and displayed leadership when needed and this election has undoubtedly been cruel for them.

[@BoxingBadBoy77]

Screw them. They deserved it.

[@RSShurman]

BoxingBadBoy77 The Tories used them as a fucking meat shield.

[@nickbonzer]

markafc83 bollocks.......They had half baked policies. They lied to the public renaged on their promises. They stepped up to nothing as far as I am concerned. Nick Clegg fooled no one and this was confirmed in the most resounding liberal loss in history. Unless they get their act together and find a segment of the population who actually agrees with their policies they are dead in the water

[@VincentRE79]

markafc83 The electorate have been very harsh to them, if they had not gone into Coalition in 2010 we may have ended up facing financial ruin.

[@maxwellfan55]

Johhny England Some sense at last, politics is no place for losers or false egos, he should have stepped down when told years ago. Instead made his party irrelevant, compromising the entire balance of UK. politics.

[@Psycheout]

and nothing of value was lost, as the saying goes "Lib Dem, Never again"

[@therealpruflas5532]

I prefer Nick clegg to Cameron 110 feel bad for Nick he would've made a good PM

[@Thvndar]

Schadenfreude: David Cameron's life will be much more difficult from now on

[@upthebracket26]

This comment has aged very well..

[@kaseyemagic]

They lied, and got what they deserved............

[@JordiMorell77]

I agree with Nick

[@SIXITHS]

Agree with 3:04..? How did that turn out?

[@rachelharri82]

I truely hope Nick is ok!! And I hope its not the last we see of him.

[@maxwellfan55]

Anyone seen Pantsdown eat hats yet? Put it on KZbin please.

[@sijm165]

An outstanding speech from 4 minsff on the need for liberalism. Amen!

[@nickbonzer]

Clegg and Ashdown can both provide all the support they can which adds up to custard

[@humanrays]

The rise in nationalism and identitarianism is due to people like him telling everyone differences are meaningless and that we're "all one". The "Human" box is too broad and doesn't give people a meaningful sense of belonging.

[@retcon1991]

accidentalprotégé Interesting point, I think it probably holds water psychologically. It strikes me, though, that the place into which we were born is an increasingly flimsy form of identification and that we can get our sense of belonging from our friends and family. British cultural history, especially, is intrinsically multicultural and fluid, to find belonging in its broad parameters I think necessitates finding belonging in the broader "human" box.

[@emmasmum1211]

Gutted

[@JayBenjamin9214]

As much as I disagreed with lib dem for going back on some of their promises, I think they had more influence in Westminster than they're given credit for. The next 5 years will see a return to the late 80s with a more divided society. And I for one am dreading it

[@meenakshiminnis9460]

You were correct. I joined the lib dems after this to fight for a Liberal society. The politics of fear and division was what I feared.

[@RealBenDB]

Poor bloke. He's waited a good five years to get that speech off his chest.