Defeat fails to halt cuts agenda

Amid heightened tensions within the coalition following last week's drubbing, the Prime Minister and his Deputy renewed their "marriage vows" to work together "for the good of the economy."

Mr Cameron said that the coalition partners "are not always going to agree. But in the end we've produced some pretty chunky, clear policies."

He added the coalition would keep to its "difficult" spending plans to tackle the debts.

Mr Clegg, who betrayed millions of students by ditching his election pledge over university tuition fees, shamelessly claimed the coalition had a "moral duty to the next generation to wipe the slate clean."

He denied the cuts were ideologically motivated to shrink the state and insisted: "We do it because we have to. We owe it to the youngsters of today to lift the deadweight of debt."

The two leaders were taking part in a question and answer session with employees at the CNH Tractors plant in Basildon, Essex, where Labour won seats in last week's local hammering for the power-sharing parties.

Amid heightened tensions between the Tories and Lib Dems after the two parties' poor showing in last week's local elections, Mr Cameron reaffirmed his commitment to the coalition formed in May 2010.

But recriminations within the coalition spilled over with Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes accusing Tory MPs of behaving as if they were "born to rule."

And right-wing Tory MP David Ruffley said on Tuesday it was in time for the Tories to "put the foot down" with the Lib Dems to deliver more tax cuts and relax labour laws to generate economic growth.

He added that the Lib Dems should be forced to face the prospect of an early general election if they did not sign up to the policies of the "senior partner" in the coalition.

louise@peoples-press.com