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If we weren't in a coalition now I don't think people would take any notice of the Liberal Democrats
Nick Clegg
Failure to reform the electoral system would not spell the end of the coalition, Nick Clegg has said.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour, the deputy prime minister said that the Liberal Democrats were more than "a sort of glorified form of the Electoral Reform Society" and had other priorities for government.
"If (the electorate) say no, they have said no," he said.
"We believe that part of renewing politics and making it more accountable and making sure that people are in charge rather than politicians is yes, having a different electoral system.
"But I wouldn't have stood for the leadership of the Lib Dems if I thought the only sole purpose in life was to change the electoral system.
He added: "Something I've been talking about this week, social mobility, inmany ways I care personally about that probably even more thanelectoral reform."
"I think there are other things which this coalition is seeking to achieve."
But securing a deal on electoral reform was critical to persuading Liberal Democrat MPs to enter in to a coalition with the Conservatives.
It was recently suggested Clegg hoodwinked David Cameron into believing Labour were prepared to offer the Lib Dems a change to the voting system without a referendum, forcing the Conservative leader to up his offer.
But the planned referendum on switching to the Alternative Vote system may be torpedoed before it reaches the public, as both Labour and a sizeable proportion of Tory MPs are opposed to holding the poll.
While the Conservatives will be free to campaign against the change in a referendum, part of the deal than cemented the coalition was an understanding that the government would pilot the necessary legislation through the Commons.
Clegg also defended plans to hold the referendum on the same day as elections to the Scottish and Welsh parliaments next year, insisting it would be cheaper and would not confuse voters.
Plaid Cymru and the SNP, among others, have complained that holding the vote on the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly will detract attention from devolved issues.
In the interview to be broadcast on Sunday Clegg also rejected the suggestion that his party had been damaged by forming a governing alliance with the Conservatives.
A series of polls published over the past week suggest that while the public is generally supportive of the coalition after its first 100 days, support for the Liberal Democrats has slumped.
"If we weren't in a coalition now I don't think people would take any notice of the Liberal Democrats," he said. "If we were in a coalition with Labour arguably our identity crisis would be even worse."
Attacking Labour, he said the party had directed "collective bile and vitriol" at the Lib Dems because they arrogantly assumed his party had failed to follow the script.
"They clearly thought that the only thing the Lib Dems were ever entitled to do was fall into line with the Labour Party," he said.
"They seem to be deeply offended that the Lib Dems may only have made up their minds to do something different."
Perhaps in response to sniggering references to a 'Brokeback coalition', Clegg insisted that while he and the prime minister presented a unified front in public they were "tough with each other" behind closed doors.
The comments may also have been designed to allay fears within his own party that the Lib Dem policy agenda is being steamrollered by their coalition partner.
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