Cheer up Nick...

January 10, 2012

Nick Clegg is feeling gloomy about 2012, warning that it will pose "many great challenges" for everyone in Britain. Do you agree with him - or are there reasons to be cheerful?

Perhaps the deputy prime minister didn't get what he wanted from Father Christmas, or maybe someone else got all the lucky charms in the Christmas pudding.

Whatever the reason, Nick Clegg's New Year message to Liberal Democrat activists is somewhat lacking in Christmas good cheer.

The picture is of atoms spinning apart in the dark.
Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams

He warned: "There are no easy years when you are in government, and we have had to show real strength in 2011. The next year will be one that poses many great challenges for everyone in Britain, but I know we must continue to do what's right for our country."

He listed some achievements he believed the coalition has made - such as giving a million extra children a "fairer start in life" under the pupil premium funding deal, as well as pushing for the world's first Green Investment Bank. But Mr Clegg's overall message was of tough times - and he's not the only one eyeing 2012 with some concern.

Reasons to be cheerful in 2012
- It's a good year for sport - London hosts the 2012 Olympics and there is Euro 2012 as well
- It's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which means an extra bank holiday
- According to Anatole Kaletsky in The Times (£), the economic situation might not be quite as bad as we thought - globally at least - because of demand in the US and China
- And it turns out the Mayan prophecy that the world is due to end in 2012 might not be true after all

In his Christmas Day sermon, the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams did not hold back.

"Bonds have been broken, trust abused and lost. Whether it is an urban rioter, mindlessly burning down a small shop that serves his community, or a speculator turning his back on the question of who bears the ultimate cost for his acquisitive adventures in the virtual reality of today's financial world, the picture is of atoms spinning apart in the dark."

But are they right? Henry Mason, head of research at trends company trendwatching.com, is of the "always look on the bright side" school of thought.

He told Channel 4 News: "While we're not disputing that stuff is gloomy, the economy is not exactly booming, if you look on a global scale there are hundreds of millions of people if not billions for whom 2012 will be significantly better than 2011 was, and for whom 2011 was better than 2010.

"There are always some people doing well, there are always opportunities, there are always new developments."

I think people are slightly fed up with this kind of bland pretence that everything's perfect.
Henry Mason, trendwatching.com

His company has picked 12 key consumer trends for 2012, including the prediction that companies will become more open in the face of their instant, online audiences. So if they mess up - they will admit it.

"Big business has not covered itself in glory in the last few years. I think people are slightly fed up with this kind of bland pretence that everything's perfect," he said.

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