We will not change course, says Clegg

The Deputy Prime Minister’s comments came amid rising calls for a new economic strategy to be unveiled by Chancellor George Osborne in his March Budget. Figures published on Friday revealed a drop in GDP threatening an unprecedented triple dip recession.

Speaking on the BBC1 Andrew Marr programme, Mr Clegg said: “We’re being tough, but pragmatic. We are being resolute but innovative. If people have ideas about how we can provide further capital investment into our infrastructure, without breaking the bank, of course we are open to that.

“We are absolutely not going to change course in paying off one of the world’s largest budget deficits – why? Because if you just shrug your shoulders and say it’s too complicated, we end up asking our children and grandchildren to pay off this generation’s debts.”

The Sheffield Hallam MP also accepted he would face “public commentary and criticism” over his forthcoming decision whether or not to send his elder son Antonio to a private or state school.

But he said he hoped people would accept that he and wife Miriam were taking the decision as parents. Last year, Mr Clegg said the inequality between private education and the state sector was “corrosive for our society and damaging to our economy”.

“I totally accept that when we make a decision, that will be the subject of public commentary and criticism and so on,” he said yesterday when asked about that comment. “But I hope in the meantime we want to protect the privacy of an 11-year-old boy and make a decision that we think as parents is best for our son.”

Last week, Mr Clegg indicated he would prefer to choose a state secondary but added there was “huge competition” for places in London.

No quick fixes: Page 11.