British coalition vow to continue despite AV defeat

DAVID CAMERON and Nick Clegg insisted their coalition will continue, despite the humiliation handed out to Liberal Democrats in the local elections and the referendum on voting reform.

Voters decisively rejected Lib Dem-backed proposals to change the way MPs are elected while the party lost around 700 councillors in England and haemorrhaged support to the Scottish National Party (SNP) north of the border.

The deputy prime minister admitted the results were “a bitter blow” for Lib Dems, but insisted his party would “pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move on”.