So I didn't get cut out of a car yesterday because the fire crews had all been called out to a genuine traffic accident. Hope everyone involved is ok, but seriously, just my luck.

Sooooooooooooooooooo today I am going to try to defend a man who is almost universally despised. Yes, it's "Let's stop hating on Nick Clegg" day (ok, I made that up.)

Mr Clegg has been getting a lot of stick recently, particularly from people my age, for all sorts of reasons. So let's start at the beginning, with the General Election Last Year.

1. Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats didn't do so well in the General Election as everyone thought they would. That's not his fault; that's yours for not voting for him (I say "yours" because I'm not legally allowed to vote being as I am 17)

2. Nick Clegg then despicably saved this country from anarchy by helping to form a Government WITH THE CONSERVATIVES!!!1ONE
Well what else was he going to do? Try for a "Rainbow Coalition" with Labour and the Small Parties? People are complaining enough about compromises now, imagine the compromises in a coalition of anything up to 10 different parties. And imagine if the Liberal Democrats had supported Labour, who had less votes and seats, who pissed them off royally at meetings and who were led by Gordon Brown, the least popular Prime Minister since Anthony Eden, with the support of Peter Mandelson. I'm not going to describe Peter Mandelson. Just give you a few pictures:

So yeah, keeping Labour in power? Not recommended

3. Nick Clegg then sold his soul to the Conservative party in exchange for a referendum and a few concessions. Firstlym there's a bit more than a few concessions; the Liberal's have a stronger cabinet presence than anyone could have imagined and have had a hand in liberalising every Conservative policy. Every one. And as for selling out to the Tories, he hasn't sold out for two reasons. Firstly, he has aligned himself with David Cameron. And  David Cameron is the face of the the Tory left, which these days is about the same as the Liberal Right. The Old Social Democrats of the Liberal left can moan all they like, The Lib Dems are not a socialist party. Go and join Labour if you want that, now they've rediscovered themselves. And if Clegg had sold his soul to the Tory Right then we really would be screwed, because the Conservatives for the most part do not see Norman Tebbit as the font of all knowledge and policy. The far right of the Conservative party really are a different kettle of fish to the ones in Government. Would you ever have refused to support Tony Blair because you disagreed with Ken Livingstone, or vice versa? Then don't give up on Cameron because of Norman Tebbit

4. Nick Clegg lied to the nation when he said he would not raise tuition fees. Fact: the Liberal Manifesto said that "A Liberal Democrat Government" would not raise tuition fees. And this isn't a Liberal Democrat Government, it is a coalition and in coalition you have to make compromises. It was a stupid thing to promise in their manifesto (since the only defence left to them is that they didn't know they'd be in power when they wrote it) but they didn't lie and if you look at the proposals properly then they do make a lot of sense, especially for those with poorer backgrounds

So go easy on Clegg, yeah? He's not a bastard, just a guy trying to do his job