Clegg reviews coalition approach

 10 May 2011 Last updated at 19:10 ET  The deputy prime minister will signal the coalition is entering a new period The Lib Dems will be more "muscular" in government and their influence more "visible", Nick Clegg will argue on the first anniversary of the coalition.

The deputy PM and Lib Dem leader will say the arrangement with the Tories is "stable and durable".

But he will argue it is a coalition of "necessity not conviction" and say the two parties will show their separate identities more overtly in future.

David Cameron has dismissed claims the Lib Dems are a "moderating" influence.

In an interview with the BBC on Tuesday, he said the coalition was a "partnership" with both members working in unison to tackle difficult issues rather than one constantly attempting to restrain the other - as some senior Lib Dems have suggested.

Both party leaders are reflecting on the first year of the coalition government - the first in 65 years - seeking to highlight its achievements but stressing the scale of the challenges lying ahead.

Labour leader Ed Miliband is likely to attack the coalition's record, and highlight its policy differences, at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

'Louder voice'

Mr Clegg has been under pressure from Lib Dem activists to wield more clout in government after the party suffered its worst performance in council elections in England for 20 years and amid complaints the party had become a "human shield" for unpopular coalition decisions.

"The coalition has shown itself to be a durable, stable government," Mr Clegg will say in a wide-ranging speech. "But it is clear, not least from what we heard on the doorsteps in recent weeks, that people want the Liberal Democrats to be a louder voice in government."

The Lib Dems have been "punching above their weight" in terms of their contribution to the coalition's policy agenda, he will say - singling out their support for pensioners, the low paid, nursery education and apprenticeships - but must "do a better job" of trumpeting their achievements.

He will also signal that the coalition - which was damaged by the acrimonious campaign over plans to change the voting system in which the Lib Dems and Conservatives were on different sides of arguments - is entering a new period.

"In the next phase, both partners will be able to be clearer in their identities but equally clear about the need to support government and government policy. We will stand together but not so closely that we stand in each other's shadow," he will argue.

"You will see a strong liberal identity in a strong coalition government. You might even call it more muscular liberalism."

'Formidable force'

The Lib Dems have suggested they will block proposed NHS reforms unless substantial changes are made and will seek to be more assertive over issues such as banking reform and immigration controls.

Mr Clegg will say he relishes the opportunity to make the "Lib Dem imprint and influence more visible".

Despite's last week poll drubbing, in which the party relinquished control of nine English councils and suffered heavy losses in Scotland, Mr Clegg will argue the Lib Dems have "exactly the right answer" and their long-term electoral prospects are good.

"There is a reason neither of the two bigger parties won last May - neither of them were really trusted to deliver both a strong, dynamic economy and a fair society. We can be trusted on both counts.

"I am confident that showing we can combine economic soundness with social justice - competence with a conscience - will make us an even more formidable political force in the future."

Coalition is 'partnership' - PM

 10 May 2011 Last updated at 11:46 ET David Cameron: "There will be loud noises within government from both parties and that is what we just have to get used to."

David Cameron has rejected claims by Nick Clegg that the Lib Dems could be a "moderating influence" on the Tories in key policy areas.

The prime minister told the BBC he did not accept the premise and stressed that the coalition - a year old on Wednesday - was a "partnership".

On Sunday, deputy PM Nick Clegg vowed to be more assertive after his party was hammered at Thursday's elections.

He told Andrew Marr he wanted a "louder voice" for the Lib Dems in government.

"We need to show people where we are, a moderating influence on the Conservatives, we need to stand up for our values," said the Lib Dem leader.

'Prove themselves'

But Mr Cameron said his party's commitment to protect the NHS budget and other things "which most matter to people" showed the party had changed.

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The NHS is so precious to the modern Conservative Party and to me, I absolutely want to get this right”

End Quote David Cameron "I don't accept the whole idea that the role of one party is somehow to moderate the other," he said.

"The Conservative Party, under my leadership, has changed. It is a new and different Conservative Party."

The prime minister was speaking to the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson ahead of the first anniversary of his party's agreement to share power with the Lib Dems - producing the first coalition government for more than 60 years.

He also stressed there was "no question" of well-off parents being able to pay to buy university places for their children and denied that Universities Minister David Willetts may have given that impression in comments on Tuesday.

Asked whether he should apologise to Mr Clegg for the flak that the Lib Dems - who suffered their worst local election performance in more than 20 years last week - were receiving for their role in the coalition, Mr Cameron said: "We work together as a partnership. The Lib Dems have a huge opportunity in this government.

"For the first time in 60 years, they have a chance to prove themselves as a party of government and that it is what they are doing."

The prime minister said he believed both parties would ultimately get the credit for making "unpopular" but necessary decisions.

"If you do what is right - and this government is driven by thinking what is right, what is good for the long term, what is in the national interest - if you do those things I believe at the end of this Parliament it will benefit both parties.

"People will say 'we didn't agree with everything they did but they dealt with the big problems and got Britain back on their feet."

'Precious NHS'

The prime minister defended his handling of controversial proposed changes to the NHS, which have been "paused" pending a fresh consultation with medical professionals - many of whom have been critical of them.

"The NHS is so precious to the modern Conservative Party and to me, I absolutely want to get this right," he said.

He acknowledged that ministers should have explained more clearly how hospital doctors and other clinicians would be involved in the commissioning of care under the proposals, adding that "we can and will do better".

"Inevitably when you make reforms, you are making big decisions, you are making big changes, you don't get all of them right first time. A brave government is one which does not just pile on and say, never mind the critics, we will just carry on," he argued.

"A brave, bold and strong government is one that is strong enough to say 'OK we are going to stop, listen and make sure we get it right."

But he insisted the plans, drawn up by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, were not being ditched.

"We are not ripping it up. We are listening to people, both inside and outside the NHS, who say there are elements of this you have not got right. and we want to get it right before we press ahead."

Clegg urged to break up coalition

11 April 2011 Last updated at 15:08 ET  Warren Bradley is the former leader of Liverpool City Council The Lib Dem former leader of Liverpool City Council has urged Nick Clegg to pull out of coalition government.

In a confidential letter seen by the BBC, Warren Bradley urged his party leader to act before "we disappear into the annals of history".

He said Lib Dem councillors were set to lose seats in 5 May's local elections and the coalition was to blame.

A Lib Dem spokesman said being in power brought "difficult decisions", and Mr Bradley's views were not widely held.

Mr Bradley, who led the council for five years, said: "The boil is about to come to a head and burst (probably on election night)."

Party record

In the e-mail marked "In Confidence - Private", he writes: "Many other long-serving councillors could be defeated not because of their record, but because of your record and the perception of what we as Liberal Democrats now are."

Mr Bradley, who has previously been critical of the leadership, calls for the end of the coalition: "We have to be independent and we have to sever ties from the coalition; if we fail to do this, we have only our parliamentarians to blame."

But a Lib Dem spokesman responded by saying the letter "simply does not reflect the views of the wider Liberal Democrat membership".

He said: "Moving from a party of protest to a party of power has brought with it some very difficult decisions but we cannot hide from the fact the country is borrowing an extra ￡400m every single day - the cost of a new primary school every 20 minutes.

"Liberal Democrats are proud to be fighting, as always, on our strong record in local government and now for the first time in 65 years, on delivering in national government."