0:00:09 > 0:00:14I'd like to take this opportunity to put a few things straight.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16When I meet people around the country,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20it's obvious that many of you have strong and pretty mixed reactions
0:00:20 > 0:00:23to some of the things that Liberal Democrats have done in Government.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Many of you tell me that you're glad that,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28at a time of real economic uncertainty,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30we put aside our political differences
0:00:30 > 0:00:33to provide our country with stable leadership.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37But I also meet people who are disappointed and angry
0:00:37 > 0:00:40that we couldn't keep all our promises -
0:00:40 > 0:00:43above all, our promise not to raise tuition fees.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47And to those people, I say this.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51We made a promise before the election
0:00:51 > 0:00:55that we would vote against any rise in fees under any circumstances,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57but that was a mistake.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00It was a pledge made with the best of intentions,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03but we shouldn't have made a promise we weren't absolutely sure
0:01:03 > 0:01:05we could deliver.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09I shouldn't have committed to a policy that was so expensive
0:01:09 > 0:01:10when there was no money around.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Not least when the most likely way we'd end up in Government
0:01:13 > 0:01:16was in coalition with Labour or the Conservatives,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18who were both committed to put fees up.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I know that we fought to get the best policy we could
0:01:22 > 0:01:25in those circumstances,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28but I also realise that isn't the point.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31There's no easy way to say this.
0:01:31 > 0:01:37We made a pledge, we didn't stick to it, and for that, I am sorry.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40When you've made a mistake, you should apologise,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43but more importantly, most important of all,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46you've got to learn from your mistakes,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48and that's what we will do.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50I will never again make a pledge,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53unless, as a party, we are absolutely clear
0:01:53 > 0:01:55about how we can keep it.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58I accept that won't be enough for everyone,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01but I owe it to you to be upfront about it,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05and I don't believe it should cast a shadow over everything else
0:02:05 > 0:02:08the Liberal Democrats are achieving in Government.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11When we are wrong, we hold our hands up,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15but when we're right, we hold our heads up too.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18We were right to leave the comfort of opposition
0:02:18 > 0:02:20to face the realities of Government,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24and I know we are fighting for the right things, day in, day out, too.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Rebuilding our economy to make it strong,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30changing the tax system to make it fair,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33defending the vulnerable in these tough times.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38That's what my party believes in, that's what I believe in.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40And if we've lost your trust,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43that's how I hope we can start to win it back.