"What we are left with instead might be described as The Muppet Show election. It pits Gonzo the Great against Sam the Eagle. It is a classic confrontation of political styles.
Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat president, is the personification of Gonzo. He is energetic, engaging and sincere. He is also perceived to be chaotic, idiosyncratic and unpredictable. In one Muppet episode, Gonzo shouts out towards the audience: “Ladies and gentlemen. This evening, I will perform a feat of lunatic daring.” There are too many Lib Dem MPs who fear that this would also be Mr Hughes’s approach if he were their leader.
Sir Menzies Campbell, by contrast, is a ringer for Sam the Eagle. He looks the part. He is austere, reliable and sage. His age in that context is an asset. He has had his faults as a foreign affairs spokesman; he is rather too keen on the EU, the UN and the Palestinian cause for my taste, but he has always exuded authority. Sam the Eagle told the rest of the Muppet troupe that: “You are all weirdos.” It is a sentiment that Sir Menzies might keep in mind if he addresses the next party conference as leader."
I can't help wondering what Miss Piggy would have made of it...
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