It’s ‘not easy’ to be focus of protests, Clegg admits
By Ian Dunt
It is not easy for the Liberal Democrats to become the focus of street protests, Nick Clegg has admitted.
Speaking at the opening rally of the Liberal Democrat spring conference, the deputy prime minister offered an honest assessment of the anger and resentment aimed towards the party from various groups, most notably students.
“Government is very different from opposition,” Mr Clegg said.
“Difficult choices, especially at these difficult times, provoke controversy and sometimes protest. And it is not easy for us as a party to be the focus of those protests.
“Some of our proudest moments have been on marches: against climate change, against child detention, against the illegal war in Iraq.”
He continued: “We’ve put down the placards and taken up the reins of power. It’s a big change but it is worth it. You can’t do everything when you are in power, but you can’t do anything when you are not. With power comes protest. We need to get used to it.”
The speech comes as tens of thousands of demonstrators prepare to descend on Sheffield to protest against the party’s decision to enter coalition with the Conservatives.
Mr Clegg’s decision to back Tory spending plans and vote for a trebling in tuition fees has focused many campaigners’ anger on him personally, but he insisted to party members that Liberal Democrats could survive the upcoming local elections in May.
“There are doomsayers who are predicting the worst for us. They’re wrong,” he said.
“Hold your nerve, keep your heads high. We have a great story to tell.
“We are facing up to the huge challenges in this country when it would have been easier to duck out. We have shown the strength to take difficult decisions in the national interest.”
The local elections come at the same time as the referendum on AV, a vote Mr Clegg will need to win if he is to demonstrate to the party that its decision to join the coalition will eventually pay off politically.
