Clegg pledges to keep his politics clean

Speaking at the opening of this weekend's Lib Dem conference in Birmingham, Mr Clegg outlined the main issues on his party's agenda - fair taxes, better schools, clean politics and an economy not "held hostage" by banks.

"There will be no backroom deals between political parties," said Mr Clegg.

"If a party has got more support and has got a clearer mandate from the British people, then I think we live in a democracy and that party has got the moral right to seek to govern, either on its own or with others."

Mr Clegg said Lib Dems were delivering a "copper-bottomed guarantee" that whatever the outcome of the election, "the one thing you can predict is that the Liberal Democrats will deliver those four steps to a fairer Britain."

But Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn told the Star: "Whatever the result of the election, the new Parliament has got to face the reality of the situation."

Mr Corbyn also stressed parliamentary obligation to "take real control over banks forcing public-sector workers to pay for a crisis which is not of their making.

"We must ensure there is huge, radical pressure on Parliament to defend public services and employment."

On April 15, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg will enter the first of three televised debates. The general election is expected on May 6, but the date is yet to be confirmed.