Meridian Nick Clegg

Video: The Deputy Prime Minister praised a Hampshire company today for its apprenticeship scheme. Nick Clegg told workers in Eastleigh that practical skills will help the economy.

The Deputy Prime Minister has been in Eastleigh this morning to meet apprentices from across the region.

Nick Clegg visited the Prysmian Cables factory to celebrate what the Lib Dems claim is a 90 percent increase in the number of apprenticeships under their government.

Nick Clegg has called on disgraced Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock to resign from the Lib Dems. He was speaking on his weekly phone-in show "Call Clegg" on LBC

Earlier, Nick Clegg spoke to ITV Meridian about what the City Deal will mean for jobs and transport links in the region - and then about how his party is struggling in the opinion polls.

The Deputy Prime Minister was in Oxfordshire today to sign a deal to bring millions of pounds of investment into the Thames Valley - and create thousands of jobs.

It's being called the 'City Deal' and gives local authorities more independence from Whitehall - allowing them to control what's done with £55m of government funding.

The money will establish four innovation hubs - at the science parks at Harwell and Culham - at the Life sciences at Oxford's hospitals - and an engineering hub at Begbroke.

Road and rail networks will also be improved with better public transport links , a new link road between the A40 and A44, and tackling pinchpoints on the A34. Penny Silvester reports.

Oxford and the surrounding area will be given a cash injection to create thousands of new jobs, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will announce today as he signs the landmark Oxford City Deal handing power over to the region.

The City Deal will see major improvements in local roads and public transport specifically tailored to link universities with the city’s major industrial and research areas.

More than 18,000 long term jobs will be created through the deal.

Plus more than 30,000 construction jobs to support the area’s development. Today’s announcement comes as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Cities visit the Harwell science campus to sign the historic City Deal. They will meet staff who will benefit from the improved transport links

The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has pledge continued funding to help ease the pressure on school places as demand increases across the South. He was at a nursery in the region encouraging parents to take advantage of a new allowance.

Kate Bunkall reports. She spoke to Nick Clegg and Councillor John Ennis from Reading Borough Council.