Mr Clegg said he was "bitterly disappointed" that David Cameron has vetoed European treaty changes.

The UK is the only one of 27 European Union members to opt out of closer ties this week.

The Liberal Democrat leader said any further withdrawal from Europe risks making Britain "a pygmy in the world".

He spoke the Prime Minister straight after the European summit at 4am on Friday morning, warning that the decision to veto the treaty was wrong.

"I made it clear to the PM it was untenable for me to welcome it," he told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show.

Mr Clegg blamed the "intransigence" of France and German for Britain's isolation. But he also criticised Eurosceptic MPs in the Conservative Party, who have been pressing Mr Cameron to show "bulldog spirit" in negotiations with Europe.

"There’s nothing bulldog aout Britain hovering somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, not standing tall in Europe and not being taken seriously in Washington," Mr Clegg said.

He said Britain must now work extra hard to make sure it is not ignored by both Europe and the US.

The Deputy Prime Minister said any further withdrawal from Europe would mean the UK is "considered irrevelant by Washington and a pygmy in the world".

"I will now do everything I can to make sure this setback does not become a permanent divide," he said.

Mr Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, is considered one of the most pro-European politicians in Britain.

However, he dismissed suggestions that the Coalition would break up.

"It would be even more damaging for us as a country if the coalition Government was to fall apart," he said.

"That would cause economic disaster for the country at a time of great economic uncertainty."

Mr Clegg's comments drew a stinging rebuke from Mark Pritchard, a leading Tory eurosceptic and secretary of the 1922 Committee.

"Better to be a British bulldog than a Brussels poodle," he said. "People are getting rather fed up of the self-righteous whinging of some Lib Dems who are totally out of step with public and mainstream euroscepticism and have called it wrong on Europe for years." - just like their claim that the majority of the British people wanted 'proportional representation' and forced a vote and lost hands down they were humiliated and have never mentioned it since

However, a number of prominent Liberal Democrats rallied round their leader.

Lord Oakeshott, the former Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman, said he thought it was possible the dispute could bring down the coalition.

well I can only hope cant I?? but I doubt the liberal arseholes will chuck in the only time they have held any power whatsoever in many decades

OK SO LET'S HAVE A GENERAL ELECTION - That will get rid of twat Clegg

Welschmoron wrote:

us Brits never voted for all these liberal arseholes 2 be in government and pulling any strings at all - the Libs in the polls the other week had under 7% of the vote so what the fuck are they doing in government

Your ignorance of political realities in your own country is amazing! The UK electorate certainly DID vote in such a way that the Liberals would be in government: the results of the May 2010 election were:

Tories: 36.1% = 306 seats
Labour: 29.0% = 258 seats
LibDems: 23.0% = 57 seats

A very fair result for the LibDems! LOL! And the upshot was a hung parliament (exactly as I'd predicted, BTW) - after 52% of the electorate had voted for non-Tories.

So are dementia and memory loss already setting in, you old fool? Have you forgotten that the Tories failed to win a majority of votes and seats? Don't you remember why there's a coalition?

Despite a majority voting non-Tory, Camoron/Clegg are in power. Like it or lump it, moron: you'll have to put up with it until 2015, or hope for a new election (which might easily return Labour or Lab/Lib to power).

WulfCUNT OPINES wrote:

Welschmoron wrote:

us Brits never voted for all these liberal arseholes 2 be in government and pulling any strings at all - the Libs in the polls the other week had under 7% of the vote so what the fuck are they doing in government

Your ignorance of political realities in your own country is amazing! The UK electorate certainly DID vote in such a way that the Liberals would be in government: the results of the May 2010 election were:

Tories: 36.1% = 306 seats
Labour: 29.0% = 258 seats
LibDems: 23.0% = 57 seats

A very fair result for the LibDems! LOL! And the upshot was a hung parliament (exactly as I'd predicted, BTW) - after 52% of the electorate had voted for non-Tories.

So are dementia and memory loss already setting in, you old fool? Have you forgotten that the Tories failed to win a majority of votes and seats? Don't you remember why there's a coalition?

Despite a majority voting non-Tory, Camoron/Clegg are in power. Like it or lump it, moron: you'll have to put up with it until 2015, or hope for a new election (which might easily return Labour or Lab/Lib to power).

the libs are just like you fucking useless - they will be wiped out next election because only complete fucking idiots like you will vote for them - 7% in the polls how many seats will they get ?? not fucking many UKIP are still climbing and God willing overtake the Libs -

Dewi,still in his anti EU crusade.

Great show going on on ape island!

Pass the popcorn, please!

the libs are just like you fucking useless - they will be wiped out next election because only complete fucking idiots like you will vote for them - 7% in the polls how many seats will they get ?? not fucking many UKIP are still climbing and God willing overtake the Libs -

Calm down, you old git, and mind your language: I was just stating facts. They hurt you, right? LOL!

We're talking about NOW: last election the LibDems got 23.0% of the vote, and 57 seats. So it's irrelevant what the pollsters are saying NOW, even if LibDem support were down to only 0.7% - because they will KEEP THOSE SEATS UNTIL NEXT TIME. So stop whining about it, it's how the Mother of Parliaments works. Doesn't it make you proud to be British?

Next election the LibDems will be wiped out (no great loss). The vast majority of their voters will vote Labour! But you Tory scum still have a chance, unless the UKIP splits your vote like in 2010 - and wasn't that hilarious to watch? How I laughed!

So you'll just have to wait for the next election, won't you? Less than four years to go, and remember to vote UKIP! Don't die of frustration before then!

simplefrench wrote:

Dewi,still in his anti EU crusade.

spot on there simple

you had a vote on whether you wanted 2 be a part of this great 'experiment' OK first time you booted it out so were forced 2 vote again until you gave the answer they wanted

we on the other hand have had sweet fuck all - they did not ask us - we do not want it - they didn't bother asking us