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Nick Clegg laughs off split with Vince Cable over conference vote on deficit Nick Clegg laughs off split with Vince Cable over conference vote on deficit
(1 day later)
Nick Clegg has said it is for Vince Cable to decide whether to turn up and support the Liberal Democrat leadership's motion on Monday backing the coalition's deficit plan, saying: "I do not run a boot camp. I don't tell people when they have to turn up to a meeting."Nick Clegg has said it is for Vince Cable to decide whether to turn up and support the Liberal Democrat leadership's motion on Monday backing the coalition's deficit plan, saying: "I do not run a boot camp. I don't tell people when they have to turn up to a meeting."
Clegg at the weekend said he had staked his political authority on defeating amendments calling for a more relaxed view on allowing councils to borrow, as well as greater flexibility in implementing the fiscal mandate.Clegg at the weekend said he had staked his political authority on defeating amendments calling for a more relaxed view on allowing councils to borrow, as well as greater flexibility in implementing the fiscal mandate.
Ahead of a debate on the economy at the party conference in Glasgow, Clegg's aides say they will examine whether councils should be given greater freedoms but will not support such a relaxation now. They also insist the amendment calling for a flexible implementation of the fiscal mandate is code for spending more money now.Ahead of a debate on the economy at the party conference in Glasgow, Clegg's aides say they will examine whether councils should be given greater freedoms but will not support such a relaxation now. They also insist the amendment calling for a flexible implementation of the fiscal mandate is code for spending more money now.
Cable is not attending the debate and has said he would like the leadership to accept the amendments.Cable is not attending the debate and has said he would like the leadership to accept the amendments.
Clegg, in a round of broadcast interviews on Monday morning, said: "There is not some great feud going on. There is a good healthy democratic debate going on." He laughed off suggestions of a civil war, saying: "It is a slight storm in a teacup."Clegg, in a round of broadcast interviews on Monday morning, said: "There is not some great feud going on. There is a good healthy democratic debate going on." He laughed off suggestions of a civil war, saying: "It is a slight storm in a teacup."
He added: "Vince and I have been working hand in glove for the last three years pursuing the policy we have been pursuing to fill this black hole in the public finances.He added: "Vince and I have been working hand in glove for the last three years pursuing the policy we have been pursuing to fill this black hole in the public finances.
"In fact, the motion we are debating together Vince and I worked on together in many important respects." He described the leadership's motion as a mix of ingenuity and continuity."In fact, the motion we are debating together Vince and I worked on together in many important respects." He described the leadership's motion as a mix of ingenuity and continuity.
The motion, he said, supported new ideas to allow local councils to have more financial freedom to build more affordable homes, saying the lack of new homes was at heart of the problem facing the recovery.The motion, he said, supported new ideas to allow local councils to have more financial freedom to build more affordable homes, saying the lack of new homes was at heart of the problem facing the recovery.
Determined his party receive credit for economic recovery, Clegg argued: "At some point you have to clear the decks to move the country forward. I think there was integrity and courage in the Liberal Democrats going into coalition and then doing the difficult and painstaking job of helping the economy recover in the dark days that we suffered in the past few years. That is a brave thing to have done.Determined his party receive credit for economic recovery, Clegg argued: "At some point you have to clear the decks to move the country forward. I think there was integrity and courage in the Liberal Democrats going into coalition and then doing the difficult and painstaking job of helping the economy recover in the dark days that we suffered in the past few years. That is a brave thing to have done.
"If we had not held our nerve, the recovery would not be under way now in the way that it was. That is a feather in the cap of the Liberal Democrats.""If we had not held our nerve, the recovery would not be under way now in the way that it was. That is a feather in the cap of the Liberal Democrats."
He added: "The surest way of jeopardising or risking the recovery is giving the keys back to the Conservative or Labour parties to mess things up as they have done for generations.He added: "The surest way of jeopardising or risking the recovery is giving the keys back to the Conservative or Labour parties to mess things up as they have done for generations.
"I have never heard Ed Balls set out a plan to set out how he would cut the deficit," Clegg said, but added that he could work with Balls, the shadow chancellor, arguing: "We would keep Labour on the straight and narrow, but it is not for me to tell the other parties who should be in their team.""I have never heard Ed Balls set out a plan to set out how he would cut the deficit," Clegg said, but added that he could work with Balls, the shadow chancellor, arguing: "We would keep Labour on the straight and narrow, but it is not for me to tell the other parties who should be in their team."
Clegg is also facing the prospect of defeat over the reintroduction of a 50p top rate of tax and ending the bedroom tax.Clegg is also facing the prospect of defeat over the reintroduction of a 50p top rate of tax and ending the bedroom tax.
He said he opposed changing the top rate: "To drive home the message of tax reform I think changing one very specific symbolic tax rate is not really the key part of the matter."He said he opposed changing the top rate: "To drive home the message of tax reform I think changing one very specific symbolic tax rate is not really the key part of the matter."
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