Who is the British foreign secretary?

Officially, of course, the answer to that question is William Hague – who has put in some decent work since assuming office, particularly during the Arab Spring. But, still, I ask it because, following the European Council, Nick Clegg seems to have usurped the Foreign Secretary’s role in a number of key areas. It was the Deputy Prime Minister who engaged the newly-elected Spanish leader, for example. It was also Clegg, not Hague, who was instrumental in bringing German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle to Britain on a ‘we still love you’ visit yesterday. And when it comes to phoning European leaders to press a UK position, it is the Deputy Prime Minister who is asked to put in the hours, not the veto-wielding Prime Minister or Britain’s chief diplomat.

After the European Council, some people advised Clegg privately to push for a reshuffle, making him Foreign Secretary. It seems Clegg has sidestepped the demand for an outright reshuffle, given his weak electoral position, and instead pushed for control of Europe policy, giving him a power beyond what deputy prime ministers are used to having.