Cameron and Clegg and the Age Old Institution of UK Politics

For a moment we thought we were watching Ant and Dec presenting I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, but no; it was our new Premier, David Cameron, with his debonair sidekick, Nick Clegg. The first impression they created, as they joshed and joked in the spring sunshine, was how perfectly compatible they are. Of similar age and appearance, they even appear to share the same sense of humour. "Do you still think Nick Clegg is your favourite joke?" one sharp reporter asked of Cameron, and the two fell about laughing.

Whether this fascinating and appealing duo will work well for the prospects of the UK remains to be seen, but everyone, including the markets, seemed impressed. Even as one of Gordon Brown's few loyal fans, I felt myself being swept along by the emotional tide of hope that the 2Cs generated. But I fear as the reality of power and the problems of the deficit come to the fore, the engine that is UK PLC may need more than a couple of CCs of fizz to get it going. We wait with anticipation to see if there is any substance behind the frolic.

How will the relationship cope when it comes to budget cuts, tax increases and electoral reform? All the doom mongers are warning of a period of austerity round the corner. The five year fixed term of the parliament will give the lads time to tinker, but what if it is beyond even their astounding powers of management?

But why put a downer on what has been a mesmerising weekend of intrigue and delight, better than any TV thriller, with more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie? Britain has received and enjoyed a much needed boost to its opinion of politics. We had it all - a Prime Minister teetering on the edge, the new boys scheming behind his back, the reporters on the green in front of Westminster with the requisite banners of protestation behind and all the while, a dignified, patient and ever so royal Queen waiting patiently at the Palace to receive her new Premier. It was all so English and fine.

But the final irony is that while the real winner in this weekend's shenanigans was the British Constitution and its immaculately engineered workings, so slick it gave one a stab of pride, the new incumbents of Number 10 (does Clegg get the spare room at the back?) are about to embark on radical and unforeseen changes to the very electoral machine which got them there in the first place! Life can be cruel for age old institutions!

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