This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31892955

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Nick Clegg: Liberal Democrats 'here to stay' Nick Clegg: Liberal Democrats 'here to stay'
(about 1 hour later)
The Liberal Democrats are "here to stay", and will defy poor poll predictions in the general election, party leader Nick Clegg will say. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has told activists the party is "here to stay" and will defy poor poll predictions in the general election.
Mr Clegg is delivering his keynote speech at the party's spring conference in Liverpool and will say it will do "better than anyone thinks" on 7 May. In his keynote speech at the spring conference in Liverpool, the deputy prime minister said the Lib Dems would do "much better than anyone thinks".
The party "can and will win" in areas where it can mount a strong campaign, the deputy prime minister will say. The party "can and will win" in areas where it mounts a strong campaign.
He will urge members to be proud of the party's record in coalition government. He accused his coalition partners the Conservatives and Labour of "deserting the centre ground".
Hailing the party's "incredible resilience", he will say: "It is because of our resilience that Britain has a strong, stable government and a strong, stable recovery. And he urged members to be proud of the party's record in coalition government.
"It is because of our resilience that Britain has a strong, stable government and a strong, stable recovery.
"It is because of our resilience that we have been able to achieve incredible things. And it is because of that resilience that we will defy the odds and win again this May."It is because of our resilience that we have been able to achieve incredible things. And it is because of that resilience that we will defy the odds and win again this May.
"So when people tell you we can't, tell them where to go. I have a message for all those who are writing us off once again: the Liberal Democrats are here to stay.""So when people tell you we can't, tell them where to go. I have a message for all those who are writing us off once again: the Liberal Democrats are here to stay."
'Tarnished by coalition''Tarnished by coalition'
The BBC's political correspondent Ross Hawkins said Mr Clegg and his colleagues reassure themselves that internal polls suggest the party is better placed than it appears in the published data - and flag up the party's single by-election win in Eastleigh during this Parliament. The BBC's political correspondent Ross Hawkins said Mr Clegg and his colleagues were reassuring themselves that internal polls suggested the party was better placed than it appeared in the published data.
However, former Lib Dem president Tim Farron has said he believes the party could suffer for a generation as a result of the decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives. However, former Lib Dem president Tim Farron said he believed the party could suffer for a generation as a result of the decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives.
Mr Farron told the Mail on Sunday: "In 2010, many people said, 'I am not voting for you because of the (1970s) Lib-Lab pact,' when I was seven years old."Mr Farron told the Mail on Sunday: "In 2010, many people said, 'I am not voting for you because of the (1970s) Lib-Lab pact,' when I was seven years old."
"Just think what going into coalition with the Tories will do to our brand over the next generation."Just think what going into coalition with the Tories will do to our brand over the next generation.
"Integrity is important. You must not only keep your word but be seen to keep your word. You can say no.""Integrity is important. You must not only keep your word but be seen to keep your word. You can say no."
But the party's former leader, Lord Ashdown echoed Mr Clegg's message. But the party's former leader, Lord Ashdown echoed Mr Clegg's message: "There's a certain bloody-minded resilience about every Liberal Democrat, and we have thoroughly enjoyed in the past proving the pundits wrong, and we're really looking forward to doing it again."
"There's a certain bloody-minded resilience about every Liberal Democrat, and we have thoroughly enjoyed in the past proving the pundits wrong, and we're really looking forward to doing it again," he said. 'Tories cut'
"I know it's easy for you to sit there, look at the polls and think that's everything, but if you look a little deeper you find a very different message, and we know that, even if you don't." Mr Clegg told the crowd that one of his proudest moments was the publication of primary school results last year showing the poorest children getting their best ever results.
'Stable and successful' He put that down to the Lib Dems' decision to protect the schools budget in real terms and create the Pupil Premium - money targeted at the poorest children.
Appealing to wavering voters, Mr Clegg will say: "If you are thinking of voting Conservative but are worried that they won't be fair - don't do it. If you are thinking of voting Labour but are worried they will ruin the economy - don't do it. He told activists Labour and the Conservatives were "deserting the centre ground" while UKIP offered only "angry nationalism".
Only the Lib Dems would stand up for the "moderate majority" amid a political mood of "blame and division", he said.
"We will face down the nationalists and isolationists who seek to divide our society."
Mr Clegg accused his coalition partners of planning for an "ideological lurch to the right" in the next Parliament: "Cows moo. Dogs bark. And Tories cut. It's in their DNA."
Only the Liberal Democrats would "keep Britain on track", he added.
Appealing to wavering voters, Mr Clegg said: "If you are thinking of voting Conservative but are worried that they won't be fair - don't do it. If you are thinking of voting Labour but are worried they will ruin the economy - don't do it.
"If you think a vote for UKIP, or the Greens, or the SNP is harmless - it isn't.""If you think a vote for UKIP, or the Greens, or the SNP is harmless - it isn't."
At the conference in Liverpool on Saturday, Mr Clegg said the final significant decisions of the current coalition government had already been taken, with negotiations over Wednesday's Budget almost finalised. Mr Clegg said the final significant decisions of the current coalition government had already been taken, with negotiations over Wednesday's Budget almost finalised.
He will tell activists that the fact the coalition has lasted the full term of the Parliament meant the Lib Dems had "changed the political landscape forever". He said the party had "broken the stranglehold of the two old parties and proved that coalition can be strong, stable and successful".
"We broke the stranglehold of the two old parties and proved that coalition can be strong, stable and successful," he will say.
The party's deputy leader, Malcolm Bruce, admitted it would be a fight to get voters on board, but he said the country was better off for having had the Lib Dems in the coalition government.
"What we want people to recognise is if you don't have the Liberal Democrats as a key party in the centre ground - given that neither Labour nor the Conservatives look like they're going to win - you're going to have a pretty chaotic and shambolic Parliament."