That’s the point, though. He isn’t. Clegg is a capable, intelligent and deeply decent man. Simon Hughes, who was on the other side of me, is, if anything, even more decent. Now the Justice Minister, he’s the Lib-Dems' longest serving MP. He’s passionately pro-London, passionately fair and renowned for helping the people of his Southwark constituency, regardless of their political stripe. We discussed the capital and some of what I’d written on its problems. Sitting next to him, I was struck by how much this man (who was clearly so much wiser and more accomplished than me) was willing to listen. Even if he was just humouring me, he did it for so long and so well, he’s still a far better person than I am.