Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat Leader, came under scrutiny from Cambridge students yesterday at a Question & Answer session at Trinity Hall.

The event was organised by the local Lib Dems in partnership with Cambridge Student Lib Dems in order to give students a chance to engage with the Robinson alumnus.

Addressing a packed lecture theatre, Clegg spoke predominantly about education at the session, elaborating on his ‘Six-year plan’ policy for tuition fees, under which the fees would be phased out over the course of six years.

Tom Blackburn said: "I’m impressed by Clegg’s grasp of reality, though agreeing with the sentiment that we should bring a rapid end to tuition fees he acknowledges, fitting to the current economic circumstances, that we’ve got to take things more slowly."

The expenses scandal and race relations were also discussed. Clegg spoke of his dismay at the consistent use of the term ‘the Muslim community’, highlighting the geographical and cultural variety of these communities.

Speaking to Varsity after the Q & A, Clegg defended his own expenses claims when asked if it was fair for him to claim the maximum on the additional costs allowance whilst asking for the Speaker of the House to resign.

"Yes I think it was entirely fair," said Clegg, "I’ve been very, very clear always that the money that I use to maintain a second home when I do a job as MP in Sheffield but also as a legislator in London, it’s not my house – it’s yours it’s the tax payers.

"You loan it to me. So it seems to me right to use the money for the purposes for which you give it to me and when I sell that house I’m not going to keep any of the gains I intend to give every penny and pound back to you. That’s a fair deal."

Clegg also refused to be drawn out on whether he would support the Conservative Party in the case of a hung parliament despite insisting that whoever wins the strongest mandate deserves to govern.

"I’ve always said that it is a matter of principle in a democracy if a party clearly has a stronger mandate from you the voters than any other party then that party should have the moral right to seek to govern either on its own or with other parties."

When asked if he would support the party with the most seats, Clegg replied: "I’m never going to get into that for the obvious reasons. I’m not trying to establish an arithmetical formula, I’m not a political scientist."