Nick Clegg said his breakfast this morning had consisted of just a banana, a yogurt and a cup of coffee, surely not enough to keep him battling through yet another day of the election campaign.
Perhaps he is starting to feel the strain as election day is drawing near and his recent surge in the opinion polls has meant the competition is striking back fiercer than ever before.
With it seeming increasingly likely that a coalition government will define the next generation of British politics, speculation has mounted as to which party the Liberal Democrats will support in the eventuality.
When asked which party the Liberal Democrats would support if a hung parliament came to fruition, Clegg told The Courier: “People know what policies we support – they’re the policies in our manifesto. Those are the policies we are determined to implement.”
Set to make a dramatic change to the future of Britain, Clegg outlined his four key policies as “fair taxes, so the vast majority of people pay no income tax on the first £10,000 they earn, paid for by closing the loopholes enjoyed by the wealthy; breaking up the banks to create a new, green economy; the best start at school for every child; and clean, decent politics.”
Making the achievement of these policies his first priority in government, in opposition or in any other arrangement, Clegg gave little away with regards to whether his party would align themselves with Cameron or Brown.
Something that Clegg was very clear about was his party’s decision to place electoral reform at the top of their agenda.
Asserting that the Alternative Vote system on its own is unable to deliver fair votes, he said: “We want a system where every vote counts and where MPs don’t have jobs for life in safe seats.
“My ambition is to lead the next government, so we can have a truly fair system.”
The televised leaders’ debates have had unprecedented success in engendering people to vote in this general election, with a particular surge in voter registrations by young people.
Recent polls have suggested that Mr Clegg’s popularity has been fuelled by young people, so why is it that this particular group is becoming increasingly attracted to the Liberal Democrats?
Clegg said: “People engage when they can see it’s worth it, when they can see they have a choice. That’s what’s happening this time, and I think the Liberal Democrats are playing a big part in that.
“For the first time in a generation we’re in an election where it’s really clear that people don’t want to settle for the two old parties: they want something different.”
Clegg prides himself on leading a party that will deliver to the public. He said: “I want policies that people can believe in.”
Looking to the future: Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg pictured by the River Tyne in Newcastle last month as part of his campaign. Photograph: Copyright acknowledged.
“There will always be people who want to stop change, but you can be part of something different, something better”
Promoting themselves as a party for students, Clegg has promised to scrap tuition fees altogether.
“We’re the only major party that isn’t determined to raise fees, let alone scrap them. We have a plan to phase fees out over six years – but starting this autumn, anyone going into their final year will not pay fees for that year.
“My ideal would have been to abolish them immediately, but that simply is no longer possible because of the awful state the economy’s in.”
Perhaps one policy area that isn’t quite as popular amongst the students is Clegg’s stance on binge drinking.
When asked if Clegg felt raising taxes on alcohol will help tackle Britain’s binge drinking culture, Clegg replied: “It’s really important to find a way to target alcohol-related harm without penalising people who drink sensibly.
“I think it’s ridiculous that supermarkets can currently sell drinks at below-cost prices; that needs to stop.
“And I think work needs to be done on how minimum pricing can be used to tackle binge drinking too.”
Standing up for justice and fairness in Britain isn’t all Clegg’s party is about as he extends these commitments to the wider world. In a bid to bring peace and prosperity to others, Clegg looks to take direct action to prevent human rights abuse in the Middle East.
When asked to comment about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Clegg told The Courier: “First of all, I want to see a full and fair settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That means a two-state solution, with secure borders based on the position in 1967.
“It is not in anyone’s interests for Israel to build new settlements in the occupied territories, and it’s illegal under international law, as are Hamas’ actions in targeting Israel for rocket attacks.
“I’m very alarmed about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel and Egypt’s blockade of Gaza is simply unacceptable, besides not being in Israel’s strategic self-
interest.
“One and a half million people are trapped on a piece of land about the size of the Isle of Wight, unable to get access to basic healthcare and construction materials to rebuild their homes after the bombing in Operation Cast Lead last year, and they don’t even have decent quality water.
“Action from Britain and the EU to help end the blockade is now urgent, and long overdue.”
Nick Clegg’s final message to Newcastle University students was: “Use this election. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you it can’t be how you want it to be.
“No one knows what will happen, we only know that all bets are off, and right now anything is possible. And don’t let anyone tell you the red team and the blue team are the only two choices you’ve got.
“There will always be people who want to stop change, but you can be part of something different, something better.”
Q&A: Nick Clegg behind closed doors
What is the most played song on your ipod?
I lost my ipod, so don’t go there. But I have been listening to Johnny Cash in the car.
What is your idea of a perfect first date?
A long, relaxed meal in a good restaurant, where you can take as much time as you like getting to know each other and no one interrupts. Of course that’s only good if you actually get on! Miriam and I couldn’t really speak to each other when we first met, her English wasn’t great and my Spanish was virtually non-existant, but somehow it didn’t really matter.
What is your favourite alcoholic beverage?
Miriam’s Spanish, so we eat a lot of Spanish food and Spanish wine goes perfectly. You can’t beat a nice Ribera del Duero wine.
What is the strangest gift that you have ever been given by a supporter?
Well, I was quite surprised by the yellow baby grows I was sent after my third son was born.
(This story was first published on 4 May 2010 in The Courier, the Newcastle University student newspaper.)