Nick Clegg thinks Eurosceptics are "insular", "chauvinistic" and "short-sighted". Why must he insult his opponents?

By Matthew Barrett
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A video has been released (via Bloomberg's Rob Hutton), of a private dinner for businessmen held by Nick Clegg at the Lib Dem conference. In his remarks, Clegg describes Eurosceptics - or perhaps Euro-realists - as "insular", "chauvinistic" and "short-sighted". It is far from the first instance of him using childish and silly terms to describe opponents - earlier this month he called opponents of gay marriage "bigots".

Why can nobody disagree with him without them being morally suspect? Why can he not disagree with people in a civil manner? Why must he insult people and viewpoints who differ from him? This is another example of Clegg practising a deeply un-serious brand of politics.