Owen Jones meets Nick Clegg | 'I warned David Cameron over failing Brexit strategy'

Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister and ardent remainer, tells me he emailed David Cameron to tell him he was running a ‘bloodless’ campaign as the European Union referendum came to a climax. But, Clegg says, Cameron rejected his advice to deliver a more emotional message to combat the powerful Brexit slogan of ‘take back control’. The former leader of the Liberal Democrats went on to express his disbelief at Theresa May’s ‘hard Brexit’ strategy.

We also discussed his record in coalition government alongside the Conservative party led by David Cameron, the anger at the perceived betrayal over tuition fees, the bedroom tax and the raising of the income tax threshold.

The Guardian YouTube network:

[Starsandfunk]

The Lib Dems only had 20% of the coalition seats, the other 80% of course belonging to the Conservatives. They used that small piece of power to successfully curb a lot of harder line Tory policies (which they could not have done if they had not joined the coalition). People seemed to overlook that, and now the Tories reign unchallenged.

[WORLDNSHKNIGHT]

I voted Remain. I am getting sick and tired of some leavers talking about 'liberal elite'

- I do not love the EU
- I do believe in controlled immigration
- Far from being 'elite' I am just getting by

I didn't vote Remain because I think the EU is perfect. I didn't vote Remain because I have any love of EU bureaucracy. But I looked at both arguments and I believe leaving caused caused us greater uncertainty.

It has alaso given the Scottish Nationalists ammo to try and break up this country.

[connorovington]

I can't help (even as a student) to feel that Clegg is a nice bloke - albeit with a lot to awnser for.

He's a lot more eloquent now than he ever was during his time as a big player and he seems to know what he thinks - which is surprisingly rare

[borderlands]

This is a bloke who did a 180 on tuition fees lecturing people about logical consistency.

[MutualAidWorks]

“Politicians promise you heaven before election and give you hell after”
― Emma Goldman

[MarkFlett]

I had to say I liked Cleggy - he seems to be the arch example of fair minded liberally motivated players that got screwed over by the Tory machine. He implemented policies in good faith only to see them be trashed along with his reputation.

[thomas]

It really frustrates me. He had no right to implement his entire manifesto. He only had 9% of seats. It's clear that without Clegg in the government cuts would have been deeper and faster, plus there would not have been any attempts to balance it out with policies such as the Personal Tax Allowance. He certainly didn't deserve May 2015.

[OwenJonesTalks]

Subtitles are ready for this interview now. Will be back later in the week with some of your comments. Appreciate it's been a while since we did them and I can only apologise for that.

[Philc]

I have always liked Nick Clegg. I respect his views and honesty. I do hope he stays in politics. We need sane, rational, pro-EU politicians like Nick Clegg. Good interview, BTW :-)

[Busher]

Too many people still think raising the tax threshold at the rate they did was Tory policy. This is scary

[U_C_G]

'I'll stay in politics as long as I can'

*lost seat in 2017*

Bye Nick

[deathbyclownage]

Nick Clegg exhibits here his talent for not properly answering questions.

On tuition fees - the pledge he made, from which the famous picture comes, was to vote against any increase in the next parliament. That pledge made no mention of being government and so Clegg's "I didn't have a mandate, I wasn't prime minister" doesn't cut it. The didn't have a mandate to abolish tuition fees, but they absolutely had a mandate to vote against increases.

On tax allowance - the second question Owen asks basically says "even if you accept raising the tax allowance is progressive, the coalition government did so much other regressive stuff that the effect is outweighed". Clegg gives no answer and just rehearses the same answer he gave to the question before.

On the bedroom tax - Clegg does something amazing here. In answer to the tuition fee question his get out clause was basically "well I didn't have the power, I couldn't be responsible" and in answer to the bedroom tax he says "for those a the top like me there are so many decisions we make, it's unreasonable to unyieldingly hold us responsible for all of them".

I was so disappointed by Nick Clegg and I feel he has resolutely refused to accept accountability for the legacy of his government. I agree with what he says about Europe, but I think he has a domestic policy record that is inexcusable.

[friedmahooga]

He actually seems a bit more 'real' in this interview when he's talking more honestly and openly of how the government/MPs (including him) cocked things up. It's a pity he was not able to come across as effectively during the Brexit campaign. A bit more plain speaking and less reverting to scripted platitudes to dodge questions (like he does near the end) could have worked wonders.

[MGustave]

Disagree with old Clegg on really rather a lot. Still rather like him.

[leeeeee]

I feel Nick Clegg has made it his personal mission to be the most unpopular politician ever.

[bossendenwoodconvict]

How comforting to know that generations of Britons did not die in vain.
How comforting to know that we still had some spirit left in us, and, in line with our glorious history voted to reject dictatorship from Europe.
If only the Common Market/EEC/E.U. had just stayed as the original six, or had been capable of reform;, but it was not.
Yet again Britain leads the way...a shining light in a dark world.

[stevehughes]

Why didn't they scrap the bedroom tax when they realised there was nowhere for people to move to ?

[andrewtucker]

Clegg's explanation for why the country voted Leave is very telling. Remainers have deluded themselves into thinking the reasons for wanting to Leave the EU were irrational and/or illogical. Previously Clegg has admitted that the EU isn't perfect. Perhaps we should anaylse those imperfections and their implications on people first, before we stupify them for their reasons for wanting to Leave the EU.

[jameslyon]

I see Owen got dragged backwards through a hedge before sitting down for this interview. What's with the hair?

if the lib dems hadn't gone into office with the Tories then their vote in Scotland wouldn't have collapsed. if their vote hadn't collapsed then the SNP wouldn't have won an overwhelming majority in Hollyrood and there would be no ongoing threat to breakup the UK. of course that's just my humble opinion