London:
The leaders of Britain's bold new experiment in coalition government flung off their differences and stood side by side on Wednesday, promising to act in concert to promote economic stability, reform the country's frayed political system and demonstrate that their unlikely arrangement is more than just a hasty marriage of necessity.
They said that the new arrangement, which they were forced into when the Conservatives failed to achieve a parliamentary majority and looked to the Liberal Democrats to provide them with support, represented an end to the old politics of self-interest and partisan short-sightedness. And they said they would work together to tear up the old political system by establishing five-year fixed terms for Parliament -- though they left an escape clause for disgruntled legislators, under which Parliament could be dissolved if 55 percent of its members voted in favor of doing so.
The moves were intended to demonstrate to a jittery, skeptical public that the new government would act swiftly and that two parties whose past relations had shifted along the spectrum from contempt to indifference could, in fact, function harmoniously and stably.
How this will be done remains to be seen.
Yes, Mr. Cameron admitted in response to a reporter's question during an extraordinary news conference at 10 Downing Street, under the circumstances he did indeed regret having once declared his favorite joke to be "Nick Clegg."
"We're all going to have things that we said thrown back at us," Mr. Cameron said, as Mr. Clegg, who has in the past said some nasty things of his own about his new boss, feigned hurt feelings.
Mr. Cameron said that he had moved on from partisan rancor and was looking at "the bigger picture." He added, "And if it means swallowing some humble pie, and if it means eating some of your words, I cannot think of a more excellent diet." It was a surreal scene, the two avowed political rivals making virtually identical statements about their new purpose and radiating a joshing, chummy bonhomie at odds with the brutal tone of the election campaign.
Not everyone, however, was convinced by the mens youthful good spirits, apparent similarities of outlook and appearance -- they are the same age, look vaguely alike, and have eerily similar voices -- or sudden about-face into coziness. One blogger in the New Statesman called them "TweedleCam and TweedleClegg."
"Oh, God -- the country is now being run by two characters from a Richard Curtis film," ran one widely circulated Twitter message, referring to the British director of happily-ever-after movies like "Love Actually."
But the ebullient togetherness did not falter. Not only did Mr. Cameron and Mr. Clegg plan to govern together seamlessly to lead the country out of its worst economic crisis in memory, they announced, but they also intended to remake the political system itself.
"We are announcing a new politics -- a new politics where the national interest is more important than party interest, where cooperation wins out over confrontation, where compromise, give and take, reasonable, civilized grown-up behavior is not a sign of weakness but of strength," Mr. Cameron said.
Whether the political self-effacement needed for such an endeavor is likely to endure is another matter. Many political commentators looked on with open-mouthed incredulity.
"The one thing that's probably guaranteed is that it won't last very long," said Lawrence Black, a senior lecturer in British history at Durham University.
Martin Farr, a senior lecturer in contemporary British history at Newcastle University, said: "Today, everything is sunny and rosy. But there are so many divisions between the parties on so many issues that I can't see how it can be anything like as polished and harmonious as they project. It has the recipe for being a complete mess."
They said that the new arrangement, which they were forced into when the Conservatives failed to achieve a parliamentary majority and looked to the Liberal Democrats to provide them with support, represented an end to the old politics of self-interest and partisan short-sightedness. And they said they would work together to tear up the old political system by establishing five-year fixed terms for Parliament -- though they left an escape clause for disgruntled legislators, under which Parliament could be dissolved if 55 percent of its members voted in favor of doing so.
The moves were intended to demonstrate to a jittery, skeptical public that the new government would act swiftly and that two parties whose past relations had shifted along the spectrum from contempt to indifference could, in fact, function harmoniously and stably.
How this will be done remains to be seen.
Yes, Mr. Cameron admitted in response to a reporter's question during an extraordinary news conference at 10 Downing Street, under the circumstances he did indeed regret having once declared his favorite joke to be "Nick Clegg."
"We're all going to have things that we said thrown back at us," Mr. Cameron said, as Mr. Clegg, who has in the past said some nasty things of his own about his new boss, feigned hurt feelings.
Mr. Cameron said that he had moved on from partisan rancor and was looking at "the bigger picture." He added, "And if it means swallowing some humble pie, and if it means eating some of your words, I cannot think of a more excellent diet." It was a surreal scene, the two avowed political rivals making virtually identical statements about their new purpose and radiating a joshing, chummy bonhomie at odds with the brutal tone of the election campaign.
Not everyone, however, was convinced by the mens youthful good spirits, apparent similarities of outlook and appearance -- they are the same age, look vaguely alike, and have eerily similar voices -- or sudden about-face into coziness. One blogger in the New Statesman called them "TweedleCam and TweedleClegg."
"Oh, God -- the country is now being run by two characters from a Richard Curtis film," ran one widely circulated Twitter message, referring to the British director of happily-ever-after movies like "Love Actually."
But the ebullient togetherness did not falter. Not only did Mr. Cameron and Mr. Clegg plan to govern together seamlessly to lead the country out of its worst economic crisis in memory, they announced, but they also intended to remake the political system itself.
"We are announcing a new politics -- a new politics where the national interest is more important than party interest, where cooperation wins out over confrontation, where compromise, give and take, reasonable, civilized grown-up behavior is not a sign of weakness but of strength," Mr. Cameron said.
Whether the political self-effacement needed for such an endeavor is likely to endure is another matter. Many political commentators looked on with open-mouthed incredulity.
"The one thing that's probably guaranteed is that it won't last very long," said Lawrence Black, a senior lecturer in British history at Durham University.
Martin Farr, a senior lecturer in contemporary British history at Newcastle University, said: "Today, everything is sunny and rosy. But there are so many divisions between the parties on so many issues that I can't see how it can be anything like as polished and harmonious as they project. It has the recipe for being a complete mess."
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