Nick Clegg: Michael Gove is wrong about Lib Dem plot and wants to be Tory leader The Deputy Prime Minister said he will continue to lead the Liberal Democrats "for some time," despite Mr Gove's claims that friends of Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, are trying to get rid of him. "The day you rely on Michael Gove for insight into what happens in the Liberal Democrats I tell you you really will be lost in a completely impenetrable maze," he said. Obviously Michael, who is a perfectly nice chap, doesn't know the first thing about it. Of course he knows a thing or two about leadership ambitions but that's a different matter. Mr Clegg was responding to a caller who described Dr Cable as a "73-year-old Marxist" in reference to the minister's position on the left of the Liberal Democrats. "I've been leading the Party for several years and will continue to do so for some time, because I believe very strongly that of course my leadership has been controversial because I've led my Party for the first time since it's been founded into coalition," he said. That's obviously cost us short term popularity, but I am so firm in my view that what we did in 2010 by going into coalition in the national interests, given the absolutely economic peril we were in was the right thing to do. Mr Clegg said he believes the party will "emerge strongly before the next general election," despite its poor showing in opinion poll. It is currently trailing in fourth position behind Labour, the Conservatives and the UK Independence Party. He also insisted Dr Cable is not "a Marxist" or any other kind of communist.