To listen to Nick Clegg lecturing a packed House of Commons this afternoon, you’d think he was the towering political figure of our times.
He’s jabbing his finger, accusing MPs of ‘dragging their feet’ over House of Lords reform, like a man with a Parliamentary majority of 200.
He seems to have forgotten – perhaps it’s the lobotomy he thinks he may have had? – that he actually lost seats at the General Election. He has no mandate for anything.
Most striking is Mr Clegg’s tone, which is one of absolute intellectual superiority.
It’s as if his plan for a largely elected Lords – in which hundreds of party placemen will be granted one-off, 15-year terms during which they will be accountable to absolutely no-one – are infallible.
Tory backbenchers who think there are better things for the Commons to be concentrating on at a time of economic tumult are being swatted aside.
More... RIGHTMINDS: Betty Boothroyd is right, these spurious plans for Lords reform are reckless beyond belief RIGHTMINDS: Yet another promise bites the dust from the dishonourable, double-dealing Lib DemsHe has the manner of a teacher addressing six-year-olds.
Most irritatingly, Mr Clegg is pretending that he’s doing Britain a favour by reforming an Upper Chamber which all concede is not perfect, and in need of some change.
But, in reality, his specific plan is intended only to rig the British constitution for his own party’s electoral advantage, by creating a Lords which – because it will be elected by PR - would be permanently hung.
More from James Slack... Analysis: Losing the 'right to reside test' could cost the UK economy up to £2bn a year, as EU says it 'discriminates against migrants' 30/05/13 What the Left doesn't want you to know about Britain's £200 billion welfare bill 29/04/13 An accident waiting to happen and a political class in paralysis 18/02/13 The police union that turned into a wounded animal 23/12/12 Mr Grieve simply will not stand up to the bullies of Strasbourg 25/10/12 Does Dave no longer care what Nick thinks? We can but hope 04/09/12 Can't pass the test for MI5? Never fear, there's a spying job for you at your local council 22/08/12 This Julian Assange spectacle is making a mockery of the police and wasting our money 21/08/12 Cut EU funding to lower the cost of train fares? Don't even think it on the BBC 20/08/12 VIEW FULL ARCHIVEThe Lib Dems – so attached to their ministerial cars, and greedy for power – will be left holding the balance of power for eternity. No government will be able to properly function without their approval.
During the early stages of the debate – which will culminate tomorrow – he showed his sense of self-importance by apparently comparing himself to Churchill.
Full of himself, he said that, in 1910, Churchill – like the Great Clegg, presumably – had been in favour of House of Lords reform.
Churchill’s comments were delivered (as the great man's grandson, Nicholas Soames MP, quickly pointed out) at a time of great conflict between the Commons and the Lords, totally incomparable to today.
And Churchill’s opinion later changed – though Mr Clegg conveniently decided to overlook that fact. Clegg and Churchill? They share the same dream, he wanted the country to believe.
What, I wondered, as I watched the Deputy Prime Minister over the despatch box, are the chances that - in 100 years’ time - there will be an MP on his feet quoting ‘Clegg’?
If they are, it will be with reference to an act of great constitutional vandalism, performed out of naked self-interest.