Clegg wary about his 'best mates'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg yesterday indicated his determination that the Liberal Democrats will maintain a separate identity from their Conservative coalition partners.

Amid ongoing speculation over whether the parties will agree an electoral pact at the next general election, Mr Clegg said he did not believe voters wanted him to become "best mates" with Prime Minister David Cameron.

But at the start of the most testing week for his Liberal Democrats, who face a divisive Commons vote on tuition fees, he insisted he had no regrets over going into government with Mr Cameron's Tories.

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His comments came as Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson said that Labour should reach out to progressives within the Liberal Democrats, with a view to possible co-operation after future elections.

Mr Johnson indicated that he had the backing of Labour leader Ed Miliband in calling on the party to "nurture links" with Greens and Lib Dems, rather than turn its back on Mr Clegg's party for working with Tories.

Mr Clegg yesterday told the Independent on Sunday he had no regrets about his decision to go into coalition. "I'm absolutely convinced that almost any other course of action would have been a disaster for the country.

"If there's one thing I'm not going to apologise for as the leader of the Liberal Democrats in government, after 60 or 70 years of being out of government, it's that you just cannot avoid but deal with the world the way it is."

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In an interview with the Fabian Review, Mr Johnson said he expected future elections to produce results where "you cannot guarantee a big majority government". Labour cannot afford to burn its bridges with the Lib Dems in these circumstances, he said.