Hold nerve, urges Clegg

Nick Clegg. Photo / Getty Images

Britain's Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, says there is no future for the Liberal Democrats as a left-wing alternative to Labour as he appealed to his party to show patience and maintain a united front with the Conservatives.

On the eve of the Liberal Democrat conference he promised his party it would reap electoral rewards if it held its nerve.

"The Lib Dems never were and aren't a receptacle for left-wing dissatisfaction with the Labour Party. There is no future for that; there never was."

An Ipsos MORI poll last week showed Labour and the Tories on 37 per cent with Liberal Democrats on 15 per cent, down from the 23 per cent at the May election.