Lib Dem conference: Clegg confronts his critics but the real pressure is yet to come

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS leader Nick Clegg defended his party's record in government at their historic conference in Liverpool yesterday.

For the first time in more than 60 years, a Liberal party is in government, and Mr Clegg has been at pains to stress that the members of his party should enjoy their taste of power.

But that is easier said than done in a time when the news agenda is set to be dominated by cuts to public services.

And, rather than this being a cause for widespread celebration, many delegates are deeply worried by the party's direction in their coalition with the Conservatives.

Since the election in May, poll figures for the Lib Dems have plummeted as low as 11% with predictions that the rating could be even worse by the time local elections are held next May.

The choice of Liverpool as the venue for the conference probably did not help the mood, either.

To some, it would have acted as a reminder that control of the city council - held by the Lib Dems for 12 years between 1998 and 2010 - was lost back to Labour in May. It seems inevitable that more will follow next year.

Mr Clegg has faced accusations of being too cosy with Prime Minister David Cameron, and of leading the party in a more right-wing direction.

The Lib Dem leader risked losing even more support from the Left after Saturday's interview with The Independent in which he claimed that his party "never were and aren't a receptacle for left-wing dissatisfaction with the Labour party".

This is despite Mr Clegg appealing directly to Labour voters in June 2009 when he said: "Anyone who supported Labour in 1997 because they wanted fairness... turn to the Liberal Democrats. We carry the torch of progress now."

At least Mr Clegg confirmed this week that the agreement with the Tories was for one term only, and that there was no chance of the two parties forming an electoral pact.

But, looking more specifically about the current state of coalition, Lib Dem supporters' worries are not without merit.

The VAT rise to 20% from January, announced in June's emergency budget, and the scrapping of the Building Schools for the Future programme have unsurprisingly caused the most concern.

Both issues were not included in the original coalition manifesto, and Lib Dem ministers' support for both ideas seems to make a mockery of the party's supposed progressive leanings.

Delegates also embarrassed the party leadership by voting overwhelmingly against free schools in a series of motions just before Mr Clegg's keynote speech.

Dismissed as a gimmick before the election by the Lib Dems' children and families minister Sarah Teather, free schools are an idea by the Conservatives to take some schools out of local authority control.

These schools will gain a freedom over their own financial affairs and even over what curriculum to teach but there are fears this will create a two-tier state school system.

The plans had already been passed into law in July and so the Lib Dems' vote at conference serves no real purpose other than to show significant disconcertment on this issue among the party faithful.

At least Mr Clegg can console himself with the fact that his party's supporters only appear to be rebelling on an issue-by-issue basis at the moment.

A poll by YouGov of 566 party members showed 58% approve of the government's record overall, with 23% disapproving.

More pertinently, the same poll showed 78% still support the decision in May to enter into coalition with the Conservatives.

Mr Clegg will be pleased to hear that, particularly as he used part of his speech to emphasise that his decision was the best option in the national interest of providing stable government.

He is also right to point out that if the Lib Dems had decided against the coalition after so many years in opposition, the party would have been derided for being frightened of power.

This has been a difficult conference for Mr Clegg - it is unlikely that he expected anything less - but it was never going to produce a watershed moment.

The Lib Dems have made some impression in government such as the rise in the personal tax allowances and introduction of the pupil premium.

And, of course, the party could yet achieve one of its major aims by changing the electoral system away from the grossly unfair first past the post system.

Indeed, the promise of possible electoral reform is bound to keep the coalition together into next year.

If the referendum fails and poor poll figures transform into actual results, though, the pressure on Mr Clegg will be really cranked up.

In his speech, he urged party members to "hold their nerve" and see out a full term in office through to a 2015 election.

But, after the hectic and historic events back in May, Mr Clegg should know more than any other Lib Dem that a week is still a long time in politics - never mind, five years.