The cartoonists portray him as “Cleggers” – David Cameron’s fag who polishes his boots.

And Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has apparently suffered a defeat when the Government announced its replacement for control orders, which he opposes.

The new Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures still mean certain terror suspects will have their liberty restricted without the need for a trial, and without any opportunity to appeal.

It’s been suggested that he is feeling tried. Some reports, albeit in Labour-supporting newspapers, suggest he could be packed off to Brussels for a plum EU job, if he appears to be in danger of losing his Sheffield seat.

But far from being disheartened, Cleggers is in combative mood. Either that, or he’s a very fine actor.

Speaking to regional newspaper journalists in Westminster, the Deputy Prime Minister said he had no regrets about his decision to join the coalition – nor about the replacement of student fees with a new system, or cuts in public spending.

He said: “In the highly tribal business that is politics, when you decide to work together with people who you’ve been opposing and campaigning against, and tearing strips off each other, you get people who prefer the tribal certainties of British politics, where everyone is against everyone else, and nobody co-operates in the national interest.

“It would have been a great betrayal of what Liberal Democrats stand for ... for us to say, ‘we’ll have nothing to do with this, we’ll turn our back on this and live in purity but complete impotence’.

“You can be utterly powerless and have clean hands. But then you should go into academia or go to work for a thinktank.”

On student fees, he pointed out that many graduates would pay less under the new system than they would under the system introduced by Labour which it replaces, with repayments falling to £90 a year in some cases – echoing the arguments put forward by Birmingham Lib MP John Hemming (Yardley).

And public spending cuts were essential because the previous government had left the UK economy in a mess, he said.

“You are not going to do that without having people shout at you,” Mr Clegg added.

Is Nick Clegg feeling the pressure? He looked very much as if he was enjoying government – and he certainly didn’t seem to regret joining forces with David Cameron.