GP Taylor: The two dandies of Downing Street must steer our nation out of the last chance saloon

As they walked romantically together through the garden of Downing Street, I thought they had the bearing of Bingley and Darcy. Jane Austen could not have better described their teaselled and flicked back hair, smooth faces and bovine youthfulness that makes them both foppishly good looking with a certain Metropolitan effeteness.

Earlier in the day, a woman had said to me that Cameron reminded her of the spiv from Dad's Army, for whom she had much unrequited love. Cameron and Clegg – possibly a good name for a comedy double act to replace Ant and Dec.

Many jokes have already been made about their sudden found love for each other. The best so far came from the office of Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom. Talking to me yesterday, Godfrey cheerfully quipped: "You know what Cameron and Clegg have in common?" I paused and waited for the answer that I knew would be coming quick and fast. "They both hate the Tory Party."

Some would agree that many a true word is spoken in jest. Last week they were bitter rivals and now, anyone watching them would believe they were viewing a live broadcast of their civil partnership. Cameron speaks like a Liberal and possibly thinks like one. It is not uncommon among the London glitterati to hear these views spouted over the vats of Chardonnay drunk on the balconies of SW1 by Cameron's Cuties. But I am not convinced it is true Tory policy that many people in Yorkshire voted for.

Team Camelegg has a lot in common. They are the same age and shared social background and education, but I don't think it ends there. Both have a deep political conscience and want change. They are preened political animals that have been waiting all their lives for the power that they now have. Perhaps that isn't a bad thing for us at this time.

Having met Cameron in a seedy upstairs room of a Leeds hotel, I have to say I was not impressed. He left a bad taste in my mouth as if I had just had dodgy dealings with a double-glazing salesman. Having then tried to get him as a guest on my national radio programme and been pathetically fobbed off by Tory Central Office, his reputation sank even deeper.

Strangely, in the last few days I found myself being unwillingly warmed to him and what he is trying to achieve. I hate being won over in this way. I am a typical Yorkshireman who always thinks he is right. Perhaps now I have to admit I could be wrong about the whole thing of Cleggmania and the prospect of a long-term coalition of two parties, neither of which at this time I would support. There has been something about seeing them together that has given me hope for politics. Could it be that in this crisis, such a Government is just what Yorkshire needs?

Godfrey Bloom is sceptical about the Lib-Con Alliance. He said to me: "I am convinced Cameron and Clegg can work together, they look alike, sound alike, think alike, hold identical views, oh I know they give soundbites for the poor saps who deliver leaflets but they won't squabble over ideology because they don't have any. They are irrelevant, the EU gives us 75 per cent of our laws the IMF will soon make up the balance." In that I have to agree with him, but I have always wanted to see a political system where co-operation and consensus can prevail. It is an exciting prospect, frightening,

difficult and when the gilt wears off the lily will be a struggle to maintain. Co-operation rather than confrontation – sounds amazing.

However, it is vitally important for Yorkshire that this regime of new politics works. Scarborough MP Robert Goodwill sent me a midnight text

when the deal had just been struck. It was filled with excitement for the task ahead. He said: "We need to get the dynamo of the private sector buzzing again – these will be tough times but we must rise to the task."

I know him to be a diligent MP but I hope the task doesn't mean selling off the silver to the bankers of Europe.

As a devout Eurosceptic, I wouldn't much like to see some of the things Clegg has in mind come to pass. One of my concerns was thinking that the riots in Greece could suddenly be on our doorstep. With a gaping economic black hole of 167bn in the UK, we still pay 41m per day into Europe every year – billions of pounds – imagine the number of donkey rides you could get for that on Scarborough beach. Even more, how many hospitals, schools and police on the beat could it provide?

Before you say, look at what they do for us, the true return is very little. I am sick of subsidising French farmers and Spanish fishermen and would like to see a government that allows Britain to feed itself from our land and sea.

Setting that aside, I am excited by the prospect of a change to the voting system. First past the post is not democratic and does not take into account everyone's views. Politics should not be about who can shout the loudest. Team Camelegg should have gone further with their Cabinet and invited others to be represented in this time of national crisis. Thankfully for Yorkshire, we have two of the best politicians in this country living within our borders. Inside the beating heart of government are Hague and Warsi. In my opinion, Sayeeda Warsi is the most brilliant woman in politics. Last year, I spoke about community cohesion on a platform with her and Hilary Benn at a mosque in Leeds. Even though I do not share all her politics, I could see she has a great insight into what this county needs and is now in place to see it through. She is a gutsy Yorkshire lass who tells it as it is. Alongside her there is William Hague for whom I have the highest respect, even though when he presented me with a book prize he called me Colin.

Hague is a political heavyweight of international stature – perfect to represent Britain to the world. Even if you don't agree with him, you have to admire him as a skilled politician. He has a broad back, grim determination and a jugular-slicing wit to stand up to the Brussels bureaucrats.

It has been a strange week in politics and I am glad it is finally over. Now is the time to mark the drum and allow this alliance the chance to save our country. Crippling debt, public expenditure, unemployment, tax increases and scything cuts will be hard to deal with. But, this is very much the last chance saloon. Let's hope that Cameron and Clegg are really the men of the moment and not just two Dandies from Notting Hill.

GP Taylor is a writer and broadcaster. His latest book is called The Flood. The Fish and The Giant. He can be heard on Premier Radio every Saturday at 8pm.