Clegg: We have to break with past

Labour and the Conservatives will start "lashing out" at the Liberal Democrats following their surge in the polls, Nick Clegg said.

The Lib Dem leader said that there was now an "immense" opportunity to break with the "old politics" of the past.

A clutch of opinion polls has shown a sharp upswing in support for the Lib Dems - with one even putting them top - following Mr Clegg's success in the first televised leader's debate last week.

Speaking to young people in Sutton, Surrey, he said that they now needed to capitalise on the opportunity that had opened up.

"The opportunity is immense this time," he said.

"A growing number of people are starting to hope, starting to believe a little door has opened, that maybe this time we can do things differently."

He warned that Labour and the Tories would respond by targeting the Lib Dems, and misrepresenting their policies.

"Of course they'll attack and of course they'll come up with all sorts of misleading claims. Of course the old parties will start lashing out now," he said.

He accused the two main parties of "defending the indefensible" and standing in the way of reform.