Cameron and Clegg: This leap of faith that may yet end in the divorce courts

The bookies are already offing odds on the Cameron coalition collapsing before its first anniversary on May 11 next year.

Amid all the talk at Westminster of historic deals and political realignment, there are plenty of sceptics who believe it is risky marriage of political convenience that will eventually end up in the divorce courts.

But there is no doubting the personal determination of David Cameron and his new deputy Nick Clegg to confound the sceptics and show that both they - and their two parties - really can work together.

Mr Clegg has been propelled, largely by the impact of the televised leaders' debates from virtual obscurity to the second highest post in the Government within the space of little over a month.

But he looked assured and confident as he walked into the No 10 garden for his first joint press conference with Mr Cameron.

The Tory leader - who must have hoped that he would be standing there alone at the head of a majority administration - sounded even more enthusiastic about the "new politics" of coalition than Mr Clegg.

Mr Cameron admitted he had considered just asking for Lib Dem support for a minority Conservative government.

That is an option many in his own party, still deeply suspicious of Mr Clegg and his party, would have preferred. But Mr Cameron said they both believed it would be "uninspiring" and they wanted to do something bigger and better.

Well they have certainly surprised the political establishment with the breadth and depth of their new partnership.

The Lib Dems have often been wooed, most recently by Tony Blair, but then jilted at the altar when the major parties gained power.

David Cameron, however, has made cooperation a reality, and more than delivered on his side of the deal. He has made significant concessions on policy - dropping contentious Tory ideas and adopting some Lib Dem policies.

He has given the Lib Dems not just a few token ministerial positions, but embedded them throughout the Government as fully fledged coalition partners.

The breathtaking audacity of Mr Cameron's embrace of Mr Clegg has stunned many Tory MPs.

But it does mean that the Lib Dems, who until now have been used to the luxury of opposition during difficult times, will be fully involved in all the tough economic decisions on tax and spending needed to balance the nation's books.

The new Chancellor, George Osborne, did not mince his words when he entered the Treasury, saying no modern government had inherited such a difficult economic situation from its predecessors.

The Lib Dems hands will be steeped in the blood of the cuts that are coming just as much as those of the Conservatives.

The deal has other advantages for Mr Cameron. After 13 years in opposition, and with a big influx of new MPs, the Tory front bench is not overflowing with talent.

He has been able to cherrypick the best of the Lib Dems to add weight to his cabinet.

The Tory leader has also trumped the Blairite wing of the Labour Party which had hoped to secure a new progressive alliance with the Lib Dems, repairing the split on the Left that happened a century ago.

Instead it is the Lib Dems and the Tories that have formed that alliance, breaking the traditional mould of politics.

It represents a significant shift towards the centre by Mr Cameron, and may well finally convince the public that he had modernised the Tories and finally cast off the "nasty party" tag.

If the coalition lasts for the five years as Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg intend, it could raise the question of whether the parties should merge to form some new centre force.

Otherwise they will still have to find someway to disengage without too many hard feelings and return to their opposing trenches to fight the next election.

If hopes, good intentions and lofty aspirations are enough, then this should be a happy marriage.

Politics is a rough old trade, and many governments have set out with similar ambitions only to be overwhelmed by events and political infighting. But Cameron and Clegg seem determined to give it their best shot.