Not an apology

An unusual occurrence in British politics which deserves a bit of consideration: one of them has just apologised. Of course Mr. Cameron apologises regularly, but only for things which were clearly someone else's fault: the 'Bloody Sunday' massacre in N.Ireland which happened when he was still in short trousers, and after the recent report on the Hillsborough Stadium disaster which took place before he was elected.

But Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrat party in the governing coalition, has apologised in relation to the charging of university fees. You may remember that before the election, when there was no hint of a coalition, the Liberal Democrats were united against tuition fees, which are now £9,000 a year. If you voted LibDem because of this you were shafted when they went into office.

However, Clegg has apologised for adopting the policy against tuition fees in the first place. He has not apologised for joining a coalition which went against one of the fundamental planks of his campaign. He has not apologised for being so drunk at the prospect of power that he went against his word and let down his supporters.

Not really an apology at all.