Lame duck Nick Clegg caught in Barmy Boris's propeller

NICK CLEGG and the Lib Dems are hopping mad at David Cameron for pushing forward with the Boris Johnson scheme to give London a new hub airport on an island in the Thames estuary.

Many assumed Boris Island had been sunk under the weight of criticism from all sides that it was barmy, bad for birds, and too expensive.

Then Clegg stepped in and blocked the announcement of a Government review into Boris Island being made on 3 January, arguing that it needed more time and thought (ie eco-conscious Clegg thinks it stinks, not least because it will wreck precious bird habitats, dear to the hearts of most liberals).

After that, it was agreed that the announcement of a review would be delayed until March.

Now, much to annoyance of Clegg and Co, Downing Street has let it be known that the PM is in favour of a formal consultation of the plan, sparking rumours of fresh tensions within the coalition.

Kevin Maguire, the Daily Mirror's Geordie Boy, moonlighting as a TV newspaper reviewer, claims in a tweet this morning that it is part of a crafty plan to make Boris look as though he has a Big Idea to help get him re-elected as mayor in May.

It could cost £50bn and take at least ten years to build, but it would provide thousands of jobs, regenerate a rundown area, and it would relieve millions of voters in west London of aircraft noise (it could even lead to Heathrow eventually being shut down).

On the downside, it would make house prices in fashionable Whitstable, on the coast near the proposed airport, nose-dive. Few who have a house there (apart from celebs like Janet Street Porter) have a vote in the mayoral elections in London.

Boris was on the BBC Today programme this morning confirming that 'Dave and George' (the PM and his Chancellor to you and me) want to take a serious look at the idea, though he said the BBC was inaccurate when it claimed that Dave had phoned him on Monday to give him the good news.

Boris also dropped into the conversation that, in addition, the review will consider Norman Foster's plan for siting the new airport on the mud-flats at the Isle of Grain, which many think is a more practical option than building a vast new airport in the middle of the estuary.

The Liberal Democrat policy is to stop airport expansion. That is why Dave's decision to give Boris Island a boost has left Clegg looking like a lame duck. ·