I WOULD like to ask G Harris of Stockton whether the UK would have been better off had Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, walked away from the coalition talks in May 2010, just like Labour did (HAS, July 21).

Our country was in a financial mess and even a departing Labour minister said that there was no money left in the coffers.

It would appear to me that the British public like politicians while in opposition and go against them when in government. Just like they did to Tony Blair.

I personally consider that raising tuition fees and the introduction of the bedroom tax were mistakes and Nick could have walked away from the Tories.

However, Nick sits next to David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions and is unable to show his own debating skills.

The main item on the agenda for the general election next year will be the economy and that is how I will use my vote.

The fact that the average working family is £1,600 worse off is unfortunate, but the books had to be balanced and whoever was in power would have had to make similar unpopular choices.

Ben Ord, Spennymoor.