About 12.45 last night I had to accept that we were now in a coalition with the Conservatives.

The moment had arrived when following the endorsement of the Lib Dem parliamentary party and Federal Executive Committee, Nick Clegg stood in Lib Dem HQ and said that the Lib Dems had joined a full coalition with the Conservatives.

I think up to that point I had been in a sort of trance/state of shock or even denial. After all it isn’t easy dealing with the fact that the party you have fought against and opposed for the past 30 years are now your partners in government!

But that was all but ordained by the electorate when no one party was able to command a majority after last thursday. People want us to work together for the common good, and that’s what we have got to do.

But as the dust settles on a new era with a new politics emerging it has become clear that many Lib Dem manifesto pledges have been accepted, as have some long standing Lib Dem committments. And as I said yesterday it has to be about the issues and how we tackle them. If this is to work we have to look past party labels and develop trust and good working relationships amidst a joint committment to make Britain a better place to live.

Anything less would be damnable, anything less will mean the coalition will fail. If this works though I am confident that this historic parliament will see Britain through some difficult times and change the way we are governed for ever.

Here’s to a sustainable economy, fair votes, fair taxation, improved education and a more liberal Britain.