Playing the sack race

The Guardian is clearly unimpressed with the subterfuge politics practised by Vince Cable and Nick Clegg and their intermittent support for employment reform.

In an uncompromising editorial, the paper bemoans how the Lib Dem Business Secretary is intent on sticking a finger in the air before either proceeding or retracing his steps in a effort to be seen as just a little more to the left of the tory extremists.

After insisting that he didn't want to spread fear of the sack, the business secretary nonetheless went on to float quick-fire redundancies, massively extended probationary periods and axing unfair dismissal protection for staff in small firms. Oh, and as if that were not enough, he confirmed that those lucky workers who retain rights in the future will soon have to pay a fee for the privilege of enforcing them at a tribunal

Successive polls show that voters are not taken in by the positioning and posturing that is the hallmark of Clegg’s party in coalition. No matter how much mouthpieces such as Peter Black may attest that “Lib Dems continue to restrain tory extremism” such claims are purely relative.

As the Guardian concludes:

For the Tory right and the irresponsible element of the capitalist class, the slump provides the occasion for thinking what's previously been unthinkable for very good reason. As Mr Cameron pandered to them, Mr Cable and Nick Clegg made plain on behalf of every Lib Dem that they would not sign off on Beecroft.

Now it appears that after spitting out the nastiest elements they have been required to swallow the rest. Thought procedural wheezes – such as merely "calling for evidence" rather than launching formal consultations – they may yet kill off the plans, by pushing them so close to the next election that the Conservatives are forced to back off.

But what a sorry pass to have reached – to have to pretend that the way to get Britain working is to fire the gun on a sack race.