Families in North feared new Thatcher era says Clegg

Labour swept to power in Sheffield, Hull and York and became the largest party in North East Lincolnshire. The Lib Dems managed to cling on to Calderdale Council – but only through a coalition with Labour, as both parties have eight seats fewer than the Tories.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg admitted that the Liberal Democrats had suffered a “real knock” as voters took out their anger on the party for the coalition’s cuts.

In the party’s worst local elections showing since the 1980s and the bloodbath claimed the seats of Andrew Waller, leader of York Council, and Carl Minns, leader of Hull.

Much of the blame for the dismal performance was directed at Mr Clegg’s decision to go into government with David Cameron, but the defiant Sheffield Hallam MP insisted he would carry on with the coalition.

In contrast, the Conservatives – despite being the senior partner in government – saw their support largely hold up, with the party even managing to gain some council seats overall and won North Lincolnshire from Labour.

Labour’s success against the Lib Dems was backed up by strengthening their position in Leeds, where they won a comfortable majority, but they failed to advance their position in Bradford and will continue to lead a minority administration.

The mixed fortunes were reflected across the country and questions were rased about Ed Miliband’s leadership.

With 191 council votes declared, Labour had gained 558 seats and taken control of 21 more councils while the Lib Dems lost 483 seats and six councils. The Tories gained 63 seats and four councils.

Mr Clegg insisted they would “dust ourselves down” and carry on with the work of the coalition.

But after their Tory partners enjoyed a relatively good night, he acknowledged that his party had borne the “brunt of the blame” for unpopular Government policies.

He said that in the North of England there were “real anxieties” that the coalition represented a return to the era of Margaret Thatcher.

“For many families in those parts of the country especially, there are also some very strong memories of what life was like under Thatcherism in the 1980s and somehow a fear that that is what we are returning to,” he said.

“What we need to do is to redouble our efforts to not only explain but show precisely one of the reasons the Liberal Democrats are in government is so that we don’t go backwards as a country, but that we go forwards.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes said the party would now assert its independence in Westminster by extracting concessions on issues like House of Lords reform and the expansion of private healthcare provision in the NHS.

Mr Hughes said: “Lords reform is a done deal – that was part of the coalition agreement.

“NHS reform is absolutely the area that is now in the front line. It is absolutely clear that what has been proposed in Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s Bill is not what was agreed in the coalition agreement and is not what our party members and supporters have agreed to.

“That will be changed and if it is not sufficiently changed it will not happen.”

Mr Cameron moved to soothe the wounds of his coalition partners, praising their work in government.

“I am absolutely committed to make this coalition Government, which I believe is good for Britain, work for the full five years of this term,” the Prime Minister said. “It is then that I believe the coalition and its parties will be judged by the electorate.”

But Mr Miliband said that results showed that voters had “withdrawn permission” from the Lib Dems to support the Conservatives.

“David Cameron and Nick Clegg must listen to the people,” he said. “But of course we have further to go as a party. I am determined that we will be the people’s voice in every part of Britain.”