Clegg plays down rift reports

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has tried to play down rifts within the Government as it's revealed senior members of his own party have criticised coalition policies.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, Business Minister Ed Davey and Pensions Minister Steve Webb were caught on tape by undercover reporters from The Daily Telegraph speaking out against a range of Government positions.

Mr Moore said that cutting Child Benefit for higher-rate taxpayers was "blatantly not a consistent and fair thing to do", Mr Davey said he was "gobsmacked" by the decision, and Mr Webb who said "the details aren't right".

Mr Clegg has said: "I don't think we should be surprised about the reports of what other ministers have said - that there are differences of opinion in a coalition, as there are indeed in all governments.

"The most important thing is that we get on and work together in the coalition Government to fix the mess that we have inherited from Labour. That is what people expect from us and that's exactly what we are doing."

The revelations from the Liberal Democrats came after Business Secretary Vince Cable was humiliatingly stripped of his responsibilities for the media after he claimed to have "declared war" on Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

Mr Clegg said that Mr Cable's comments had been "very unfortunate" but insisted that the matter had been dealt with.