Clegg: Sorting eurozone problems ‘vital’ to UK interests
Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister, stresses the importance of dealing with the eurozone crisis and lauds the coalition government's approach to the UK's own debt:
"We have a vital self-interest to work with our friends and partners in the eurozone.
"If there were any doubts last year about our strategic decision to make tackling our public deficit our absolute priority, I challenge anyone to now challenge that fundamental judgement.
"What all governments across the developed world are learning is this: unless you get on top of your public finances you can't exercise basic sovereignty and control over your own economic destiny. That is what we did last year.
"Our deficit was worse than Greece's, Portugal's and Ireland's. By taking the action we did we moved the UK out of the danger zone and into an area of greater economic safety. Without that it is impossible to go on and repair the damage done to our economy more broadly."
