Nick Clegg's childcare reform doubts

Plans to allow nursery staff and childminders to look after more toddlers are likely to be dropped after Nick Clegg raised concerns today.

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Clegg 'remains to be persuaded' over childcare reform

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said he is not convinced by the plans.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said he is not convinced by the plans. Credit: Press Association.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said he "remains to be convinced" of the government's plans to enable nursery staff and childminders to take care of more youngsters.

From September the ratio for under-ones is due to rise from three per adult to four.

The proposals have run into fierce opposition from experts and unions.

Watch: Safety row over cost-cutting childcare reform

Lawson call shows Tories are 'struggling' with UKIP

Nick Clegg reiterated that a referendum on Britain's place in Europe should only take place the next time the rules in the EU change.

Nick Clegg has told Daybreak that Lord Lawson's call for Britain to leave the European Union shows "the Conservatives are struggling to work out how to deal with UKIP".

The Deputy Prime Minister said the former chancellor's advocated move would weaken the UK.

"We need to reform the European Union but not turn out backs on it because to do so would make us less safe and less prosperous," Mr Clegg said.

"I think that if we were to leave the European Union we'd jeopardise up to three million jobs in this country that are dependent on our place in the world's largest border-less single market," he added.

"We'd make ourselves less safe, because we work in the European Union, to go after criminals who cross borders. It would be more difficult to deal with environmental challenges which cross borders.

"We wouldn't be taken as seriously by the Americans who like the fact that we stand tall in our own European back yard."

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Nick Clegg: 'No one thinks Nigel Farage can be PM'

Nick Clegg said his party was focused on the "painstaking work" of fixing the country's "very big and long term problems".

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has played down the threat of UKIP as British politics' third party, saying Nigel Farage stands no chance of gaining power.

Latest polling data suggested the Lib Dems would claim just 13 per cent of the vote at a General Election, behind Farage's party.

But Mr Clegg told Daybreak "there is two years to go" until the next election and added: "No one seriously thinks - even the greatest advocates of UKIP - that Nigel Farage is going to be the next Prime Minister."

Nick Clegg: We did not contest by-election seriously

Nick Clegg said his party was still making "great gains" in support where they hold MPs.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has told Daybreak his party did not "contest seriously" last week's by-election in South Shields, in which its candidate topped only the Monster Raving Loony Party.

The Deputy Prime Minister said: "There was a by-election just a few weeks ago in Eastleigh which we spectacularly won. Some by-elections parties do well in others they don't contest seriously. That was clearly the case if you contrast Eastleigh with South Shields."

Mr Clegg also said his party would not "lurch (to the) right or left" after its disastrous local election results, which saw it lose 124 council seats and comfortably trail UKIP.

Clegg accuses Cameron of lurching 'to the right'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has accused David Cameron of lurching "to the right” and challenged the Liberal Democrats to “reclaim the space” in the centre ground of British politics.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Credit: PA

He said that the "detoxified" Conservative Party arrived “hugging hoodies and frolicking with huskies” but were now retreating back to the right in a bid to appease the party's "base".

In an article entitled 'The Labour and Tory exodus' published for the Liberal Democrat Voice blog, Mr Clegg claimed that Ed Miliband was “pulling his party to the left“ leaving Labour as a “party of protest”.

The Liberal Democrat leader challenged his party to be a “reassuring voice” during tough economic times.

Clegg: OAP benefits repayment 'doesn't make sense'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he does not think Iain Duncan Smith's suggestion that wealthy pensioners should voluntarily hand back benefit payments makes sense.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Credit: Matt Cardy/PA Wire

The Liberal Democrat leader told the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, "I think the idea of saying in the meantime, you give people benefits and then you say, 'Oh, by the way, can you please give them back?' - I don't think that makes sense".

"Let's be clear about this. When money is tight, you have to have the right priorities in tough times", Mr Clegg added.

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Nick Clegg rejects 'snooper's bill'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said that the government "will not be introducing what has been dubbed the snooper's charter."

He said: "I think the idea of a snooper's charter is not in keeping with the commitment we made at the beginning of the coalition to turn a page on the kind of database state that the Labour Party was always pushing for when they were in government."

Luis Suarez deserves 10 game ban, says Nick Clegg

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told LBC Radio that Liverpool striker Luis Suarez "fully deserves" the ten match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic .

Mr Clegg, who revealed last year that he was an Arsenal fan, said: "I was completely gobsmacked. It was outrageous. Suarez has got what he deserves, he deserves the 10 match ban."

Read more: Suarez and the weakness behind Liverpool's bravado

Nick Clegg urges MMR jabs for children

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has urged parents to overcome their apprehension about the MMR jab.

Speaking to LBC 97.3 Radio, he said: "I really would urge parents, whatever your misgivings, do what people who know about this most say is right for your children - get that course of jabs done."

Read more: Measles Q&A: What is measles and how to treat it

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