Changes

Clegg's performance in the first ever televised live UK election debate thrust him into the spotlight and up the opinion polls, with one poll even placing him first among the Prime Ministerial candidates at one point. However, a number of factors conspired to actually end up reducing the number of seats held by the Liberal Democrats at the election. The FPTP system, as mentioned above, discriminates against a party that is supported across the whole country, such as the Liberal Democrats or UKIP (the UK independence party, a vehemently anti-EU party.) David Cameron's support markedly increased in the final week leading up to the election. Gordon Brown's popularity took a major hit in the lead-up to the election, peaking with an occasion where he referred to a pensioner as a "bigoted woman", due to the nature of the FPTP electoral system's making the election a race between Conservatives and Labour, despite widespread Liberal Democrat support, many voters abandoned the Liberal Democrats at the 11th hour in order to prevent Brown's re-election by the splitting of his opposition between Clegg and Cameron. Despite this - Clegg was left in a position of considerable power when the Conservatives failed to gain a majority. This was not quite as important as it may have seemed, as a Labour-Liberal coalition would also not have had a majority, so a Liberal-Conservative coalition was really the only feasible option. Some had predicted Clegg would be a "king-maker" (able to form a majority when allied with either major party, and thus in a position of huge power out of proportion to his vote) but this did not come about. Despite Brown's resignation in the hope of sweetening a deal, David Cameron assumed the office of Prime Minister, with Nick Clegg as his deputy. Four other Liberal Democrats were placed in cabinet positions, and the "coalition manifesto" included a number of Liberal Democrat policies including a high-speed rail network (as opposed to further airport expansion planned by Cameron) and the raising of the income tax threshold to £10,000. It was reported that many senior Liberals were sceptical of a Conservative coalition until they had seen the manifesto. On voting reform and inheritance tax, as well as many other major issues, a compromise was reached.

Clegg's performance in the first ever televised live UK election debate thrust him into the spotlight and up the opinion polls, with one poll even placing him first among the Prime Ministerial candidates at one point. However, a number of factors conspired to actually end up reducing the number of seats held by the Liberal Democrats at the election. The FPTP system, as mentioned above, discriminates against a party that is supported across the whole country, such as the Liberal Democrats or UKIP (the UK independence party, a vehemently anti-EU party.) David Cameron's support markedly increased in the final week leading up to the election. Gordon Brown's popularity took a major hit in the lead-up to the election, peaking with an occasion where he referred to a pensioner as a "bigoted woman", due to the nature of the FPTP electoral system's making the election a race between Conservatives and Labour, despite widespread Liberal Democrat support, many voters abandoned the Liberal Democrats at the 11th hour in order to prevent Brown's re-election by the splitting of his opposition between Clegg and Cameron. Despite this - Clegg was left in a position of considerable power when the Conservatives failed to gain a majority. This was not quite as important as it may have seemed, as a Labour-Liberal coalition would also not have had a majority, so a Liberal-Conservative coalition was really the only feasible option. Some had predicted Clegg would be a "king-maker" (able to form a majority when allied with either major party, and thus in a position of huge power out of proportion to his vote) but this did not come about. Despite Brown's resignation in the hope of sweetening a deal, David Cameron assumed the office of Prime Minister, with Nick Clegg as his deputy. Four other Liberal Democrats were placed in cabinet positions, and the "coalition manifesto" included a number of Liberal Democrat policies including a high-speed rail network (as opposed to further airport expansion planned by Cameron) and the raising of the income tax threshold to £10,000. It was reported that many senior Liberals were sceptical of a Conservative coalition until they had seen the manifesto. On voting reform and inheritance tax, as well as many other major issues, a compromise was reached.

== References ==

== References ==

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clegg, Nick}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clegg, Nick}}

[[Category:Biographies]]

[[Category:Biographies]]

[[Category:British Politics]]

[[Category:British Politics]]

[[Category:Former Members of Parliament]]

[[Category:Former Members of Parliament]]