Above is a political illustration drawn by Chris Riddell, it depicts the liberal democrats joining the coalition. At the time there were negotiations as to whether they would form the coalition, the last piece was the electoral reform referendum. The illustration portrays Nick Clegg as little red riding hood going into the forest where the big bad Tory grassroots awaits. The fact that Nick Clegg is little red riding hood gives the connotation that he is just a naive child, running into something that he isn't ready for. While the Tory grassroots is represented as the big bad wolf that intends to eat up little red riding hood.
The way that Clegg has been drawn a child shows him to be as vulnerable and as trusting as one. In the drawing he wears yellow riding hood instead of the traditional red to signify that he is the leader of the liberal democrats and in this represents them all. The basket he carries is labelled electoral reform referendum. As it is actually in the basket it gives the idea that it is something lovely and for the benefit of others like the cakes for the grandmother in the story.
It is also implied by the electoral reform referendum being in the basket, that the big bad wolf wishes to steal away the basket from little clegg riding hood. The significance of the Tory grassroots being represented as the big bad wolf is that of a symbol based on the many stories and now as a general idea of the big bad wolf being strength, power and malicious intent. The big bad wolf is known amongst fairy tales for preying on children, those who are vulnerable or weaker than him and destroying anything that gets in the way of what he wants, like in the three little pigs. As its the Tory grassroots wolf and the Nick Clegg little red riding hood, it reinforces the idea of the big bad wolf taking advantage of the naive, susceptible liberal democrats. Even the way the wolf is leaning the tree with his arms crossed implies that it is lying in wait, ready to surprise and attack the liberal democrats as they prance into the coalition with apparent trust. The crossed arms is a well known symbol for hostility and aggression.
There is also the incredibly basic and traditional symbolism of light and dark, of good and evil within this illustration. It quickly and concisely gives the impression that we, the viewer, should mistrust the evil wolf hiding in the shadows. While the light side further places Clegg into the appearance of being good, pure and of nativity. As Clegg is striding into the darkness it implies that the liberal democrats are going into something bad, into something dark where they'll have to give up what they believe in. They'll have to give up on the electoral reform referendum.
