Guido thinks everyone needs cheering up a little. Here’s one way of comparing recent PMs…

YouGov have the first polling figures on immigration since Dave’s big speech, and they aren’t exactly happy reading for the PM. His proposals were welcomed, but 1 in 4 still see UKIP as the party most trusted to deal with immigration. Clegg going for votes he’ll never win by taking a tougher stance and getting under the skin of almost his entire grassroots in the process hasn’t exactly paid off either…

Clegg initially tried to deny the existence of the Commons booze subsidy on LBC this morning, but when presented with the facts by Nick Ferrari the Deputy PM gave in: “I haven’t seen the prices, but my knee jerk reaction is why should MPs be subsidised for drinking in the House of Commons?”

The £5.8 million subsidy would be a good place to begin, but it is also worth pointing out that since parliament’s watering holes are inside a Royal Palace, many of the bars pay no rent or business rates whatsoever. Research by the ASI calculates that they are saving £1.4 million-a-year as a result. All at the taxpayer’s expense…

Here are some of the other posts on the issue Guido has put out over the years:

• Hungry for Taxes: MPs Lunch Subsidy Now £8,823 Per Annum
• Hungry For Taxes: Lunchtime Robbery
• Each MPs’ Lunch Subsidy Costs Six Hospital Meals
• Food in Parliament is Twice as Expensive for Public as MPs
• Hungry for Taxes: Compare and Contrast Today’s Menus
• Wives, Girlfriends, Predecessors
• Speaker Ignores Parliament Booze Subsidy
• Sun Backs Guido’s Subsidy Campaign
• Parliament’s I-rasher-nal Breakfast Prices

During his keynote speech at Lib Dem conference this weekend Clegg seemed to do some K-pop moves:

This genius observation was made by the Daily Mail’s Francesca Infante.

The Guy Newsroom salutes you Francesca…

UPDATE:

@johnestevens @GuidoFawkes Can the DM pic desk get a mention too please?!—
Lynn Davidson (@ByLynnDavidson) March 11, 2013

If Clegg could put his fingers in his ears and bury his head in the sand at the same time, he would. A much easier ride on LBC this week, but he still managed to admit he doesn’t want to know the details of allegations against his pervy peers. On the number of complaints to the new LibDem sex scandal hotline:

“I have decided not to find out. It’s not right for the Leader of the Party to pry into this. What I want to do is ensure the failures in the past never happen again. We’ve got to turn a page on the culture. One of the key aspects of that is to give people complete assurance that if they come forward with a complain they will be dealt with in complete confidence and if they need to be taken forward, they are taken forward.”

He says complete confidence, others might say wilful blindness…

Randy Rennard’s hands-on approach was common knowledge years ago, and evidence of Mike Hancock’s teen sleaze also found its way to the top. Turns out Nick was something of a know-it-all…

“The issues of his inappropriate behaviour were in the background“. Once more, Clegg’s Sunday statement does not ring true…

"I can only tell you the truth as I recollect it now" is positively Nixonian #callclegg—
Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) February 27, 2013

'I can only tell you the truth as I can recollect it now,' Nick Clegg protests. This is not going well #callclegg—
James Chapman (Mail) (@jameschappers) February 27, 2013

Nick Ferrari getting very frustrated with Nick Clegg's Rennard answers on @lbc973 #CallClegg—
Matt Chorley (@MattChorley) February 27, 2013

So Clegg is calling Sandra Gidley a liar now… Interesting manoeuvre. Wonder how confident he is in the loyalty of Oates, Alexander etc…—
Max Wind-Cowie (@MaxWindCowie) February 27, 2013

Clegg says for first time Lord Rennard may have stood down for reasons other than his health:"Of course these things were in the background"—
Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) February 27, 2013

Clegg says 'issues' of Rennard's 'inappropriate behaviour' were a factor in his departure. Clegg not even pretending he might be innocent!—
Tim Shipman (Mail) (@ShippersUnbound) February 27, 2013

Great @cathynewman is a caller to #CallClegg! – truly a proper self appointed detective #Rennard—
Benedict Brogan (@benedictbrogan) February 27, 2013

"My head is spinning at the number of media outlets involved now" yes Nick. Its called a scandal. #CallClegg—
Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) February 27, 2013

Why were "the issues of innappropriate behaviour kept in the background" when Rennard stood down on health grounds? #Cleggcall—
esmewren (@esmesky) February 27, 2013

In his statement on Sunday Clegg insisted: “he subsequently resigned as Chief Executive on health grounds”. Today he admits the claims against Rennard were “in the background” when he quit. His story is unravelling…

As of 1pm this afternoon LBC sources have confirmed to Guido that tomorrow morning’s Call Clegg is on. It was brought forward a day due to Thursday’s by-election, and there is no word of him pulling out over at LBC towers.

Popcorn for breakfast…

Having flown in from Spain last night to make the Rennard crisis worse, Nick Clegg has done a runner. Guido just spoke to the LibDem press office who said he had got on a flight at Heathrow. They did not know, or were not saying, where he is going, but it was not mentioned in the timetable briefed to the lobby this morning.

Where’s Wally?

UPDATE:

Hearing Nick Clegg has flown to Amsterdam to meet the Dutch PM Marc Rutte—
Sophy Ridge (@SophyRidgeSky) February 25, 2013