Is this a Tory-led coalition?

Labour have been keen to emphasise (repeatedly) that the UK is governed by basically a Tory government - propped up by the nefarious Lib Dems. And for much of the last year this has been the accepted case by the so-called liberal media - and with some justification from the closeness with which Clegg was wanting to be seen to be to Cameron.

But this view is changing - partly because of a change in attitude at the top of the party, which has finally realised being Cameron's 'city cousins' is as damaging to the Lib Dem vote as being seen as Labour's 'country cousins'. But only partly. What is finally being picked up in the mainstream media is the anguish coalition policies are causing Tory loyalists.

This is no red-blooded Thatcherite government beloved of the Tory grassroots - it's a mainstream centrist government - much like those in other European countries and much like its predecessor. One can look at Friday's Spectator that complains about Clegg 'painting the world yellow' or ConservativeHome (almost every minute) whose editor Tim Montgomery complained - again on Friday - 'With every passing day the Liberal Democrats are dragging the Coalition further away from the Conservative manifesto'.

One can only hope that this is the start of a more measured analysis and reporting of what is a very rare thing in UK politics (at least in peacetime). And a more rounded, detailed and unemotional reporting of the coalition and politics in general can only be a good thing.