Nick Clegg on separation of Church and State

8.51.35am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 31st May 2009

Nick Clegg MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, has voiced his support for the separation of Church and State.

Speaking on the Politics Show last week, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg gave firm support for separation of Church and State.

When asked about the Bishop of Birmingham urging people not to vote for the BNP he responded:

"I don't think you beat the BNP by telling people how to vote.You beat the BNP, this is my experience, our experience, we've done it my neck of the woods in Sheffield, in Burnley, in Newcastle in local elections recently, by just getting on the doorstep and saying to people, what are you angry about, what are your problems and providing solutions and answers.

"These people, they don't have solutions, they don't have answers, they peddle hate but they don't actually provide people with hope or housing or jobs or the things that people are really very concerned about. That's the way you beat the BNP."

Nick went on to say: "I'm a liberal, I believe that politics and religion should be separate.I don't like the way in which, in this country, you've got, because of an accident of history, the state and the church sort of entangled, I'd like to see the church disestablished."

For a full transcript go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/8066134.stm