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I never really rated Alex Salmond as a politician. He always seemed to over or understate every case and make Nationalist politics of any issue whether justified or not. Now by luck and design Salmond has won an overall majority for the SNP in Holyrood.

Whether he is bumptious and arrogant, it matters not, Salmond could teach Nick Clegg a thing or two about politics. On the issue of a referendum, Salmond is aware of the golden rule - only hold won when you know you are going to win.

Clegg's hamfisted handling of the local elections and AV vote expose him as extraordinarily naive. Cameron has shown he is politically smarter on strategy than before but he was fortunate to have a fall guy to push under the train in his place. He made the most of it and showed his "ruthless" skills. Clegg now is trying to re-assert some authority over the NHS reforms, like a jilted wife insisting she is not going to clean her fiance's shoes.

Ed Milliband's gain of 800 council seats was offset by a bit of a disaster at the hands of the SNP. But the regions are not really the business of Labour HQ, the bare fact is Wales had Carwen Jones a leader with great charisma and authority. Scottish Labour had Ian Grey who is so dull he makes John Major look like Jack Kennedy.

Slowly the Tories are gaining strength. If Clegg doesn't realise he is just a conduit to a longer more established Tory Government you would have to wonder what he really knows about politics at all.