Anyone reading today's papers (or indeed watching Newsnight from two nights ago, I'm assured) would have picked up the utterly derisive tone that the media have adopted for coverage of the Liberals, especially over their referendum disaster. The sketches this morning were hilarious. I offer a line or two from each:Last week the Lib Dems stormed out of the chamber in protest against a Speaker's ruling. Last night they sat on their hands. If there is one thing sillier than a petulant walk-out it's a pretentious sit-in. (Simon Hoggart in the Guardian)
Up popped little Ed Davey for the Lib Dems, whiskers trembling. He seemed a bit Billy Bunterish but in a bad way. He was aggressive, illogical, evasive and pompous. And that's the positive view. (Ann Treneman in the Times)
They huffed and they puffed but failed to blow any house down and only ended up wheezing very heavily in a large parliamentary heap. (Michael Settle in the Herald)
Anyone got others to offer?
James Graham on Comment is Free (added only because of the Gary Gygax reference. RIP):
"In the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon series, which [Gygax] co-created, the main characters spent the entire series trying to get home - only to turn away from the opportunity every week because of an exaggerated desire to save a village, clean up their magical acne, rescue their annoying pet unicorn, etc. They never did get home and you got the impression they rather liked living in a fantasy world. I have always hoped, in the face of its critics, that the Liberal Democrats were rather more hard-edged than that. Perhaps I'm wrong."