text: Vowing to cling on: Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg makes a speech during a General Election campaign visit to Sutton in south London yesterday . Nick Clegg yesterday vowed to cling on as Liberal Democrat leader even if the party is wiped out at the polls. Friends of the Deputy Prime Minister have previously indicated that he will quit as leader if the Lib Dems are reduced to fewer than 30 MPs, while sources have also suggested he will go if the party is left out of power after the election. But yesterday he insisted he would fight for his job ‘in all circumstances’. He told Sky News: ‘I’m really optimistic about the prospects of Liberal Democrats. 'Of course I want to continue to serve the country and serve my party, which I am so proud to have served for seven or eight years now.’ He added: ‘I want to lead the Liberal Democrats into and through the next Parliament in all circumstances. ‘All I am focused on at the moment is sounding the alarm about the very, very real risk that as the Labour Party and Conservative Party vacate the centre ground and hare off in which direction after another, there is a very real risk we undo all the sacrifices and hard work that have gone in over the last five years to put the country back on track economically.’ Meet and greet: Mr Clegg (far right) speaks to voters and their families during a General Election campaign visit to Sutton with Paul Burstow (second right) the party's candidate for Sutton and Cheam . His comments came as Business Secretary Vince Cable said he hoped to be made Chancellor if the Lib Dems form another coalition with the Conservatives. Mr Clegg also appeared to lean towards another deal with the Tories, saying he deserved ‘credit’ for forming the Coalition while he had endured ‘five years of constant bile from the Labour Party, who condemned us vitriolically for taking decisions which we only had to take because we had to clear up the mess they left behind’.
target: Sources claimed he'd go if Lib Dems are reduced to fewer than 30 MPs .
  But yesterday insisted he would fight for his job 'in all circumstances'
  Warned of 'very real risk we undo all the hard work over last five years'
  Vince Cable hopes to be Chancellor if Lib Dems form another coalition .