Nationalistism, extremism, xenophobia and populism is increasing!

Following a Der Spiegel interview with Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, on 21 May 2012, The Telegraph quoted him thus:

“You have one emergency summit after another; you have one election after the other; you have one bail out after the other… I, as a passionate Liberal and pro-European, think it would be a disaster if a lack of grip and a lack of a comprehensive solution were to lead to a push towards the extreme Right or the extreme Left.

If the eurozone does not come up with a comprehensive vision of its own future pretty soon, IN THREE, FOUR, FIVE YEARS TIME WE WILL HAVE A WHOLE RANGE OF NATIONALISTIC, EXTREMIST, XENOPHOBIC AND POPULIST MOVEMENTS INCREASING ACROSS EUROPE.

Frankly, questions about the British debate about the European Union will be like a small side show compared to the rise of the political extremism. That is what’s at stake.”

For once, an ultra-PC bigwig tells the unvarnished truth, albeit he’s trying to frighten, as opposed to illuminate, by doing so.

Fingers crossed the would-be frightener is better at predicting the future of Europe than he is at governing it.

P.S. Despite Clegg’s seemingly even-handed warnings of an 'extreme Right or extreme Left' future, we are left in no doubt as to which of these extremes he fears the most. The 'nationalist, xenophobic and populist movements' he cites occurring at the rightward edge of the political spectrum.