Clegg Tells Party At Loggerheads 'We Have To Stay The Course'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15008198

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg did his best to rally the Party faithful in his keynote speech at this year's annual gathering of Liberal Democrats in Birmingham.

It was clearly an extremely difficult task for him.

With the British economy in dire straits and teetering on the brink of a double-dip recession and the Lib Dem's popularity at an all-time low, how many of the grassroots could really have been convinced of Clegg's message that they have to stay the course and stick with their decision to join the Conservatives in government?

Party managers did their best to ensure that delegates and ministers alike all showed a united front to the nation.  But it was clear that there are still many members very unhappy at being in power with the Tories and grave concern remaining about the troubled economic waters ahead.

Unfortunately for Clegg, having allied himself so firmly with Cameron in government, and in particular with the manner and speed of deficit reduction,  it is now almost impossible for him to back out of the coalition.

All he can do is hope that the Party does not face what is now widely predicted to be total annihilation at the polls in 2015.