TAUNTON Deane MP Jeremy Browne believes it would be “a mistake” for the LibDem party to actively look at forming another coalition at next year's general election.

His comments come after Deputy Prime Minister and party leader Nick Clegg indicated a willingness to 'team-up' with Labour in a BBC Radio 4 documentary.

Mr Clegg said he believed the Labour party had “changed” and also took a swipe at the Tories, saying they have become “more ideological” and have “returned much more to a lot of their familiar theme tunes.”

However Mr Browne expressed unease at Mr Clegg's position, telling the County Gazette: “I believe the coalition Government is making the difficult but necessary decisions to repair the national economy.

"The deficit is falling, unemployment is falling, and the economy is growing.

“The Liberal Democrats have played a crucial role in the recovery and we should not be ambivalent about our contribution to the success of the government.”

The former Home Office minister, who was removed from the role in October during Mr Clegg's re-shuffle, said he wants the party to put forward its own ideas and stick to its principles.

He added: “It would be a mistake at the general election for the Liberal Democrats to just split the difference between the other two parties.

"Liberalism is not the exact mid-point between socialism and conservatism.

“I want the Liberal Democrats to put forward distinctive ideas for the future of the country and be confident about explaining why they will make a positive difference.”