Clegg: Lib Dems can overtake Labour

George Parker writes in the Financial Times:

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, believes his party can overtake Labour at the next election, as “big things can happen” when a government is defeated in the battle of ideas and loses touch with the public.

In a bullishly confident interview, Mr Clegg said on Tuesday it was “not beyond the realms of possibility” that his party could push Labour into third place and become the official opposition to a David Cameron government.

He said his party was in the ideological ascendant against an outdated Labour party and the Lib Dems were planning an offensive in seats in towns and cities in northern England that were previously considered unwinnable.