Clegg: On 'copy Cameron' claim

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has shrugged off reports that his secret election dossier had been found in the back of a cab.

He insisted he had always been advised "just to be myself".

The Sun reported that notes for his TV debate strategy showed Mr Clegg had been coached to copy Tory leader David Cameron's style.

But in a press briefing, Mr Clegg laughed off the suggestion.

He said: "I'm glad to see my top team preparing for government by developing a habit of leaving secret dossiers in the back of cabs.

"Look, I've always been advised just to be myself in the TV debates and that's exactly what I was and what I will continue to be."

Mr Clegg was asked why he described lobbying as "bilge" when he had once been a partner in a European lobbying firm for nearly a year.

He said: "What I said was bilge, which it is of course, was the suggestion that I worked with or for Colonel Gaddafi, which is also deeply comical."

He said he worked at a lobbying firm for eight and a half months, two days a week, while he was also working at Sheffield University part-time.

"I've always been very open about that and have got no problem at all with what I did there," he added. "I was very happy to do it, I would do it again."