The art of the possible

James Delingpole rants readably, but from time to time he seems to lose sight of the fact that politicians - as their category description suggests - deal in politics.

In today's Telegraph he blasts the LibDems for voting at their conference to boycott Education Secretary Michael Gove's free schools because they will “increase social divisiveness and inequality.”

Since that is the precise wording employed by the National Union of Teachers, an alert commentator might make the link to the fact that quite a lot of teachers vote LibDem.

What does "boycott" mean? That LibDems will not send their children to such schools? Perhaps, since most of them already send their kids to independent schools. That LibDem teachers will not accept employment at such schools? The good ones will, and the bad ones are going to vote Labour anyway. That LibDem councils will obstruct the foundation of such schools if a group of parents wishes it? Not and hope to be re-elected.

It's what the Americans call a "non-binding resolution", a meaningless sop to party activists, and will ruffle the realpolitik of the Coalition not in the slightest.

The LibDems can posture all they like, but they are getting so much more out of this government than they bring to it that to make any serious attempt to derail one of their senior partner's flagship policies would make turkeys voting for Christmas seem prudent.