Dear Nick, Thank you for being unpopular

A welcome follow-up to my post, Dear Nick: please be unpopular and controversial. A senior* Liberal Democrat source close to Nick Clegg says:

Nick Clegg has been arguing for weeks in Government that Britain should consider joining a Syrian refugee burden sharing arrangement.

This would be targeted assistance for the most vulnerable and providing refuge to those in need is one of Britain’s greatest, oldest traditions.

We are one of the most open-hearted countries in the world and Nick believes we have a moral responsibility to help.

The Deputy Prime Minister not only believes the moral case for doing this is overwhelming, he also thinks the political case for action is unarguable as well.

The Coalition Government has been the most generous in the world when it comes to helping with the humanitarian crisis in Syria and it would be completely self-defeating to allow ourselves to be painted as the least generous.

The Liberal Democrats will continue to make the case around the Cabinet table. We have yet to gain the agreement of our Conservative colleagues but we remain hopeful that we will.”

* Not to mention funny, charming, wise and all round amazing.