Clegg: Tories should focus on tackling eurozone 'firestorm'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has issued a warning to the Tories to concentrate on fighting the "firestorm" in the eurozone rather than trying to re-negotiate Britain's membership of the EU.

In an interview with The Guardian, Mr Clegg said the priority should be to "put out the fire in the eurozone and to come out of this phase of economic emergency".

The Prime Minister is widely expected to promise a referendum ahead of the 2015 general election.

Mr Clegg said: "I think to have a referendum, kind of about nothing very much in particular, when you're in the middle of an emergency repair job to your own economy and European economy, is putting the cart before the horse."