Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg during the Liberal Democrat spring conference at the Barbican Centre in York, yesterday. Photo: PA WireDeputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg during the Liberal Democrat spring conference at the Barbican Centre in York, yesterday. Photo: PA Wire

Nick Clegg intends to remain as Liberal Democrat leader until at least 2020 – whether or not the party is in power – his office said yesterday as speculation about the Deputy Prime Minister’s future overshadowed his spring conference speech.

The Deputy Prime Minister was forced to respond to speculation about his future following reports that senior MPs were positioning themselves as possible successors.

“Nick Clegg intends to be the leader of the Liberal Democrats today, tomorrow, into the 2015 election and through the whole of the next Parliament,” a spokesman said.

“He intends to be leader of the Liberal Democrats whether or not we are in government.”

The statement was an attempt to clear up confusion about the Deputy Prime Minister’s intentions, which had been fuelled by his office stating that Clegg intended to serve a full term if the party was returned to power.

With the party trailing in fourth place in the opinion polls, that left open the possibility of Clegg falling on his sword if the 2015 general election contest did not result in another coalition. Clegg’s spokesman had said: “Nick Clegg is very much enjoying his role as both Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is only 47.

“It is for the British people to decide if the Liberal Democrats are back in government again. But if the Liberal Democrats are back in government again then Nick Clegg intends to serve a full term.”

Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander faced questions about his leadership ambitions following reports he was “on manoeuvres” against a potential rival for the top job, Business Secretary Vince Cable.

I think Nick Clegg is doing a fantastic job

Alexander was asked about claims he was after the top job in the party on Sky News’s Murnaghan programme.

He said: “There’s no vacancy; I hope there isn’t a vacancy for many years to come. I think Nick Clegg is doing a fantastic job, I’ve got a big job to do to make sure that we continue the policies that are making our economy recover, delivering those tax cuts and getting across to the British people that this economic recovery and those income tax cuts wouldn’t be happening without the Liberal Democrats in Government.”

He added: “I think that is more than enough on my plate for the moment.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Pienaar’s Politics, Lib Dem Cabinet Office Minister David Laws dismissed suggestions that Clegg was a “liability” for the party, which has been limping along in the polls, often struggling to get beyond single figures.

“I’m sure that Nick will lead the party into the next general election campaign and right through it,” he said.

“I think that any Lib Dem leader that was having to take lots of tough decisions in a coalition, not least with the Conservative Party, would have that reflected in the opinion poll ratings. But I believe that Nick is the right person to lead us into the next general election, I believe he will do and I believe that people will actually respect what he’s achieved as Deputy Prime Minister and leader of our party over this Parliament.”

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