Clegg's vision

Nick Clegg's pledge to "hard-wire fairness" into Britain is nowhere near as dramatic as the Liberal Democrats' appeal, in 2005, to voters angered by the Iraq war. It could, however, have a much more substantial effect on the make-up of the House of Commons.

Last time around, Labour overcame public distrust and, after enjoying ice-creams on the campaign trail, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown secured a strong majority. This time the poll is too close to call and the Lib Dems will have a vital role to play in the event of a hung Parliament. It is the party's most important election since it was formed in 1988.

Mr Clegg's manifesto, offering a fairer tax system, higher pay for lowly-ranked soldiers, a cap on public sector pay rises and a 2,500 limit on bankers' bonuses is full of common sense. So, too, is Vince Cable, the York-born Treasury spokesman, who is seen by the public as more trustworthy than Alistair Darling or George Osborne. That is why he has been at the forefront of the campaign.

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The party needs to be clearer, however, about what exactly it would do if the election fails to produce a clear winner. Voters are savvy enough to understand that Mr Clegg, the Sheffield Hallam MP, does not want to box himself in tightly before May 6 but they have a right to know what matters most to his party, other than the usual plea for proportional representation.

The Lib Dems long ago stopped being the court jesters of Westminster. Mr Clegg still has more to do, however, if he is to persuade the public that he can be a king-maker. His relaxed and popular style, however, and his willingness to engage with voters, give him an excellent chance.