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| Clegg 'will not back early cuts' | Clegg 'will not back early cuts' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Lib Dems would not support a government which tried to make major spending cuts in the next financial year, leader Nick Clegg has said. | The Lib Dems would not support a government which tried to make major spending cuts in the next financial year, leader Nick Clegg has said. |
| Slashing spending so early in the recovery would be "economic masochism", Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today. | Slashing spending so early in the recovery would be "economic masochism", Mr Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today. |
| In a hung parliament, the party with the "stronger mandate" had a "moral right to seek to govern", he added. | In a hung parliament, the party with the "stronger mandate" had a "moral right to seek to govern", he added. |
| Treasury spokesman Vince Cable told the spring conference that the Lib Dems would be "frank" about spending cuts. | Treasury spokesman Vince Cable told the spring conference that the Lib Dems would be "frank" about spending cuts. |
| Mr Cable accused Labour and the Conservatives of engaging in a "phoney war over cuts weeks before an election that will affect the lives of millions of people". | Mr Cable accused Labour and the Conservatives of engaging in a "phoney war over cuts weeks before an election that will affect the lives of millions of people". |
| The government was trying to present itself as "the party of spending and public investment", at the same time as public sector workers were losing their jobs, he said. | The government was trying to present itself as "the party of spending and public investment", at the same time as public sector workers were losing their jobs, he said. |
| The Conservatives' spending plans were not yet known, he said, adding: "I think the present line on the budget is: trust us and we'll tell you after the election." | The Conservatives' spending plans were not yet known, he said, adding: "I think the present line on the budget is: trust us and we'll tell you after the election." |
| He added: "That simply isn't good enough." | He added: "That simply isn't good enough." |
| 'Too fragile' | 'Too fragile' |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader David Cameron have argued repeatedly about the level and timing of public spending cuts required to deal with record government debt. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader David Cameron have argued repeatedly about the level and timing of public spending cuts required to deal with record government debt. |
| The Tories have insisted that efforts to begin reducing the deficit must start immediately, while Labour says it wants to wait until the recovery is secure. | |
| Mr Clegg has found himself facing questions about what his party - the UK's third biggest - will do in the event of a hung parliament after the general election - widely expected to be held on 6 May. | Mr Clegg has found himself facing questions about what his party - the UK's third biggest - will do in the event of a hung parliament after the general election - widely expected to be held on 6 May. |
| We have a better plan than anybody else to fill the black hole that Gordon Brown has created Nick CleggLib Dem leader Q&A: What is a hung parliament? | We have a better plan than anybody else to fill the black hole that Gordon Brown has created Nick CleggLib Dem leader Q&A: What is a hung parliament? |
| He was asked on Today whether his party would support a minority Conservative or Labour government in the event of a hung parliament. | |
| He said his party had identified £15bn worth of reductions in public spending to help reduce the deficit. | He said his party had identified £15bn worth of reductions in public spending to help reduce the deficit. |
| But he said cutting too early would risk "pulling out the carpet from under the feet" of the British economy, which he said was still "too fragile". | But he said cutting too early would risk "pulling out the carpet from under the feet" of the British economy, which he said was still "too fragile". |
| He added: "We think that merrily slashing now is an act of economic masochism. | He added: "We think that merrily slashing now is an act of economic masochism. |
| "If anyone had to rely on our support, and we were involved in government, of course we would say no." | "If anyone had to rely on our support, and we were involved in government, of course we would say no." |
| His party, he said, would urge ministers to "do it sensibly, do what myself and Vince Cable and others have been arguing for some time now, which is explain to the British people - and indeed to the financial markets - that we have a better plan than anybody else to fill the black hole that Gordon Brown has created, but do it at a time when it is economically sustainable." | His party, he said, would urge ministers to "do it sensibly, do what myself and Vince Cable and others have been arguing for some time now, which is explain to the British people - and indeed to the financial markets - that we have a better plan than anybody else to fill the black hole that Gordon Brown has created, but do it at a time when it is economically sustainable." |
| Mr Clegg repeated what he said were the Lib Dems' bottom-line demands for supporting any minority administration: reforming of the tax system, more spending on education for poorer children, a switch to a greener economy and political reform in Westminster. | Mr Clegg repeated what he said were the Lib Dems' bottom-line demands for supporting any minority administration: reforming of the tax system, more spending on education for poorer children, a switch to a greener economy and political reform in Westminster. |
| I don't think the Liberal Democrats wanted this weekend to be all about spending cuts - they want to emphasise some of their other, positive messages Mike SergeantBBC political correspondent | |
| In his speech, Mr Cable reminded activists of planned savings including: limiting public sector pay rises and stopping all bonuses for two years; ending government contributions to the Child Trust Fund; cutting tax credits for high earners; not replacing Trident; scrapping ID cards. | |
| A Liberal Democrat government would conduct an urgent public spending review, with proposed cuts then debated publicly, he added. | |
| "It's right and fair that the people who are going to be affected by these changes get to have their say," Mr Cable said. | |
| BBC political correspondent Mike Sergeant, at the conference in Birmingham, said: "We thought we would be getting some more detail on some new announcements of possible spending cuts. | |
| "That isn't going to happen this weekend - Nick Clegg, the party leader, saying that would probably take place in the next few weeks, we will get that kind of detail. | |
| "I don't think the Liberal Democrats wanted this weekend to be all about spending cuts - they want to emphasise some of their other, positive messages for the upcoming campaign." | |
| 'Stripped away' | 'Stripped away' |
| Our correspondent also said that with opinion polls so close, much of the talk in the conference's sidelines had been about the role that the Lib Dems might play in a hung parliament. | |
| Mr Clegg will make his keynote speech at the conference on Sunday. | Mr Clegg will make his keynote speech at the conference on Sunday. |
| He has been joined in Birmingham by former Tory MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, who was unveiled as the latest recruit to the Lib Dems. | He has been joined in Birmingham by former Tory MEP Edward McMillan-Scott, who was unveiled as the latest recruit to the Lib Dems. |
| The "timing and speed" of cuts would depend on the economy, Mr Cable said | |
| Mr McMillan-Scott, a former leader of Conservative MEPs in the European Parliament, was a strong critic of David Cameron's decision to break away from the centre-right European People's Party in Europe. | Mr McMillan-Scott, a former leader of Conservative MEPs in the European Parliament, was a strong critic of David Cameron's decision to break away from the centre-right European People's Party in Europe. |
| Danny Alexander, Mr Clegg's chief of staff, told activists they were "poised to make gains across the land" in the election. | Danny Alexander, Mr Clegg's chief of staff, told activists they were "poised to make gains across the land" in the election. |
| Mr Alexander has been writing the party's election manifesto, which he said would be "short, direct and to the point". | Mr Alexander has been writing the party's election manifesto, which he said would be "short, direct and to the point". |
| "We have stripped away everything that is not essential because the country cannot afford it," he said. | "We have stripped away everything that is not essential because the country cannot afford it," he said. |
| "And we have set out in detail - more directly than any other party - how we will tackle the crisis in our nation's finances." | "And we have set out in detail - more directly than any other party - how we will tackle the crisis in our nation's finances." |
| On Friday, the party announced their campaign slogan as: "Change that works for you. Building a fairer Britain" - combining the themes of Labour and the Conservatives' own messages. | On Friday, the party announced their campaign slogan as: "Change that works for you. Building a fairer Britain" - combining the themes of Labour and the Conservatives' own messages. |
| Labour's election slogan is "a future fair for all" while the Tories have said 2010 will be a "year for change". | Labour's election slogan is "a future fair for all" while the Tories have said 2010 will be a "year for change". |