Alexander Slams 'Heartless' Tories

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander launched a fierce attack on his heartless'' Conservative coalition partners as he urged people not to write off the Liberal Democrats ahead of May's general election.

Despite a poll today showing that support for the party in Scotland stands at just 4%, Mr Alexander insisted he could win again in his Highland constituency.

He stated: Don't believe those who write off the Liberal Democrats. Let me tell you: I'll be back.

We'll be back. And because of us, Britain will be back.'' He issued the defiant message in a speech at the start of the Scottish Liberal Democrat conference in Aberdeen.

With just 48 days to go until the general election, Mr Alexander told activists: We're fighting to save the soul of this country from a clueless Labour Party, a heartless Conservative Party and reckless nationalists.''

While support for the Lib Dems slumped after they went into coalition government with the Conservatives in 2010, Mr Alexander told his party: Your fortitude in these difficult times has enabled liberalism to deliver so much in these past five momentous years.''

He told how Liberal Democrats in government had spent these last five hard years'' repairing the economy and making difficult decisions to get throughtough times''.

He insisted this had paid off, saying the UK was now within touching distance of being able to finish the job of balancing the books''.