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Cameron and Clegg pledge to uphold coalition's 'Ronseal deal' Cameron and Clegg pledge to uphold coalition's 'Ronseal deal'
(about 4 hours later)
David Cameron and Nick Clegg have both given an unequivocal commitment that the coalition will continue until the general election in May 2015 as they moved to silence critics in their parties who hope for a divorce. David Cameron and Nick Clegg both gave unequivocal commitments that the coalition will last until the general election in May 2015 as they moved to silence critics in their parties who hope for a divorce.
Speaking at the launch of their mid-term review on Monday, which is designed to rejuvenate the government after battles over House of Lords reform and climate change, the prime minister pledged to uphold what he described as their "Ronseal deal" of 2010. But in a marked change of tone from the launch of the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition in the Downing Street garden in May 2010, the prime minister dismissed the idea of a marriage and pledged simply to uphold the two parties' original "Ronseal deal".
Asked by the BBC's political editor, Nick Robinson, how his "marriage" to Clegg was faring, the prime minister said: "I hate to spoil the party but let me put it like this. We are married – not to each other. We are both happily married. This is a government, not a relationship. "To me it is not a marriage," Cameron said at the launch of their midterm review, which is designed to rejuvenate the government after battles over House of Lords reform and climate change. "It is a Ronseal deal. It does what it says on the tin. We said we would come together, we said we would form a government, we said we would tackle these big problems. That is exactly what we have done."
"What we said to people two and a half years ago was that we would come together for a five-year parliament, we would tackle these problems. So to me it is not a marriage. It is a Ronseal deal. It does what it says on the tin. We said we would come together, we said we would form a government, we said we would tackle these big problems. That is exactly what we have done." Clegg, who joked that the prime minister's remarks amounted to the "unvarnished truth", said the two parties had shown their commitment to remain in office until May 2015 by changing the law to provide for a five-year, fixed-term parliament.
Clegg, who joked that the prime minister's remarks amounted to the "unvarnished truth", said the two parties had shown their commitment to remain in office until May 2015 by changing the law to provide for a five-year fixed term parliament.
The deputy prime minister said: "Of course we can fight, as we will do, as two separate, independent parties [at the election]. Of course we will set out different visions of the future. Of course we can start explaining that before the general election. But we will govern and provide this country with good government until the election is held in May 2015."The deputy prime minister said: "Of course we can fight, as we will do, as two separate, independent parties [at the election]. Of course we will set out different visions of the future. Of course we can start explaining that before the general election. But we will govern and provide this country with good government until the election is held in May 2015."
The prime minister and his deputy were speaking in Downing Street as they launched a 52-page mid-term review – The Coalition: together in the national interest. This included a list of achievements and a series of goals they hope to achieve in the second half of the coalition. The Tory and Lib Dem leaders were speaking in Downing Street as they launched a 52-page midterm review – The Coalition: Together in the National Interest. This included a list of achievements and a series of goals they hope to achieve in the second half of the coalition.
The document states that George Osborne will set out spending plans before the summer recess for the first year after the general election. This is the consequence of the chancellor's decision in his autumn statement in 2011 to extend spending cuts until well into the next parliament. Cameron admitted it was inevitable that the government would face a difficult job in stabilising the public finances. He said: "Of course there have been difficulties along the way. With public finances as broken as ours, that was inevitable, but I think we have made a lot of progress."
"Before the summer we will set out detailed plans for public spending for the 2015/16 fiscal year, in line with the overall path of deficit reduction which we have already set out to 2017/18, to maintain economic stability and credibility, and ensure that we retain the confidence of international markets," the review says. The document states that the chancellor, George Osborne, will set out spending plans before the summer recess for the first year after the general election. This is the consequence of Osborne's decision in his autumn statement in 2011 to extend spending cuts until well into the next parliament.
This wording shows the compromise the Lib Dems have reached with the Tories. They have agreed that the overall level of spending will have to be set until 2017-18, which will be halfway through the next parliament. But they are refusing to specify any cuts beyond the first year of the parliament, 2015-16. "Before the summer, we will set out detailed plans for public spending for the 2015-16 fiscal year, in line with the overall path of deficit reduction, which we have already set out to 2017-18, to maintain economic stability and credibility, and ensure that we retain the confidence of international markets," the review says.
The document showed how differences in key areas are holding back specific comments. The Europe section says nothing about the prime minister's plans to repatriate powers from the EU because this has been rejected by the Lib Dems. This wording shows the compromise the Lib Dems have reached with the Tories. They have agreed that the overall level of spending will have to be set until 2017-18, which will be halfway through the next parliament. But they are refusing to specify any cuts beyond the first year of the parliament 2015-16.
The document showed how differences in key areas are holding back specific comments. The Europe section says nothing about the prime minister's plans to repatriate powers from the EU, because this has been rejected by the Lib Dems.
On plans to shrink the House of Commons from 650 MPs to 600, the document says: "We will provide for a vote in the House of Commons on the Boundary Commission's proposals for changes to constituencies."On plans to shrink the House of Commons from 650 MPs to 600, the document says: "We will provide for a vote in the House of Commons on the Boundary Commission's proposals for changes to constituencies."
This does not mention that Lib Dem peers are likely to help kill this off until the next parliament when they vote next Monday with the Labour party in the Lords. This does not mention that Lib Dem peers are likely to help kill this off until the next parliament when they vote next Monday with the Labour party in the House of Lords.
The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, said: "The problem is that if you're a young person looking for work, if you're a family whose living standards are being squeezed, if you're a small business that is looking for a loan, today's relaunch changes nothing."