Clegg was right to apologise

Nick Clegg has apologised for the tuition fees debacle.

Not for the U-turn, or for the policy, but for the fact that he promised to remove tuition fees in the first place. It is, finally, a moment when the Lib Dem leader has fully grown up. Hopefully the Lib Dems will follow.

For all my life, I have got used to the third party making rash promises, not tied down to the realities of possible Government. It was annoying to see the holier than thou, purer than pure attitude through the years - promising anything without a care. Safe in the knowledge that it would come to nothing. Every election they would say they would go into it to win and not talk about coalitions.

The last election taught a valuable lesson. You must have realistic costed policies. You must never make an absolute promise you are not certain to keep. As the third party your main chance is through coalitions so you need to take other party's manifestos into account. Nick Clegg has learnt this lesson, but I suspect the sandal wearers will have trouble adjusting to this, as they have to the nature of coalition (likewise the right wing Tory headbangers).

Unfortunately, I don't expect the grown up attitude to continue into the Lib Dem conference! There will be more grandstanding and unrealism.

Squiffy.