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| Tories do not have to win - Clegg | Tories do not have to win - Clegg |
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| Nick Clegg will urge voters not to sleepwalk into a Tory government in a keynote speech to his party conference. | Nick Clegg will urge voters not to sleepwalk into a Tory government in a keynote speech to his party conference. |
| The Lib Dem leader will tell ex-Labour supporters to back his party instead, insisting it is not a "wasted" vote. | The Lib Dem leader will tell ex-Labour supporters to back his party instead, insisting it is not a "wasted" vote. |
| Mr Clegg is facing a revolt from within his party over his repeated insistence on the need for public spending cuts. | Mr Clegg is facing a revolt from within his party over his repeated insistence on the need for public spending cuts. |
| Senior MPs have criticised moves to means-test child tax credits and have accused him of preaching "doom and gloom" with his call for "savage" cuts. | Senior MPs have criticised moves to means-test child tax credits and have accused him of preaching "doom and gloom" with his call for "savage" cuts. |
| Mr Clegg will attempt to reassert his authority - and breathe some fire into the belly of rank-and-file members in Bournemouth - in what will be his final annual conference speech before the next election. | Mr Clegg will attempt to reassert his authority - and breathe some fire into the belly of rank-and-file members in Bournemouth - in what will be his final annual conference speech before the next election. |
| 'Fake change' | 'Fake change' |
| But he will also have a message for voters who do not usually vote Lib Dem or have given up on voting altogether, telling them: "Don't stay at home, don't vote Conservative just because you think it's the only option." | But he will also have a message for voters who do not usually vote Lib Dem or have given up on voting altogether, telling them: "Don't stay at home, don't vote Conservative just because you think it's the only option." |
| I know people want me to use softer language - it won't make the problem go away Nick CleggLib Dem leader class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7034">Send us your comments | |
| He will say: "If you supported Labour in 1997 because you wanted fairness, you wanted young people to flourish, you wanted political reform, you wanted the environment protected, or you simply believed in a better future, turn to the Liberal Democrats. | He will say: "If you supported Labour in 1997 because you wanted fairness, you wanted young people to flourish, you wanted political reform, you wanted the environment protected, or you simply believed in a better future, turn to the Liberal Democrats. |
| "I know there are people who agree with a lot of what we've got to say, but who still don't vote Liberal Democrat. You don't think we're contenders. I urge you to think again." | "I know there are people who agree with a lot of what we've got to say, but who still don't vote Liberal Democrat. You don't think we're contenders. I urge you to think again." |
| Mr Clegg will argue that voters have a choice at the next election between the "fake change" of the Tories and "real change" from the Lib Dems. | Mr Clegg will argue that voters have a choice at the next election between the "fake change" of the Tories and "real change" from the Lib Dems. |
| Mr Clegg has faced a battle this week with his own MPs and party members, after saying "savage" spending cuts were needed to tackle Britain's record debts. | Mr Clegg has faced a battle this week with his own MPs and party members, after saying "savage" spending cuts were needed to tackle Britain's record debts. |
| 'Doom and gloom' | 'Doom and gloom' |
| He also ruffled feathers by suggesting a "debate" on whether child benefit might have to be cut for better-off families, although he stressed in a BBC interview that the principle of universal benefits was "important". | He also ruffled feathers by suggesting a "debate" on whether child benefit might have to be cut for better-off families, although he stressed in a BBC interview that the principle of universal benefits was "important". |
| Work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb told delegates: "I think we have over-done the despair." | Work and pensions spokesman Steve Webb told delegates: "I think we have over-done the despair." |
| He added: "Doom and gloom does not inspire and motivate people. People want it straight but they also want hope." | He added: "Doom and gloom does not inspire and motivate people. People want it straight but they also want hope." |
| Mr Clegg hit back by saying: "I know people want me to use softer language. It won't make the problem go away." | Mr Clegg hit back by saying: "I know people want me to use softer language. It won't make the problem go away." |
| The Lib Dem leader won his battle to include a proviso in the party's draft manifesto that some pledges might have to be dropped once full costings have been produced. | The Lib Dem leader won his battle to include a proviso in the party's draft manifesto that some pledges might have to be dropped once full costings have been produced. |
| But the party's Federal Policy Committee, which decides what goes in the final version of the manifesto, has said a "clear majority" of its members did not want to scrap the party's commitment to end tuition fees for undergraduates in England - something Mr Clegg has suggested might be needed. | But the party's Federal Policy Committee, which decides what goes in the final version of the manifesto, has said a "clear majority" of its members did not want to scrap the party's commitment to end tuition fees for undergraduates in England - something Mr Clegg has suggested might be needed. |
| In a letter to Mr Clegg the committee said: "Our party makes policy in an open and democratic way and... policies cannot be changed merely by assertion to the contrary." | In a letter to Mr Clegg the committee said: "Our party makes policy in an open and democratic way and... policies cannot be changed merely by assertion to the contrary." |
| Treasury spokesman Vince Cable, who will front the party's general election campaign with Mr Clegg, has also faced a backlash from some of the party's senior MPs over his alleged failure to consult them on his "mansion tax" proposals. | Treasury spokesman Vince Cable, who will front the party's general election campaign with Mr Clegg, has also faced a backlash from some of the party's senior MPs over his alleged failure to consult them on his "mansion tax" proposals. |
| Mr Cable was told by one that the policy of taxing the owners of £1m plus homes was "complete codswallop," while another told the BBC it had left the Lib Dem Treasury spokesman "seriously damaged". | Mr Cable was told by one that the policy of taxing the owners of £1m plus homes was "complete codswallop," while another told the BBC it had left the Lib Dem Treasury spokesman "seriously damaged". |