London Evening Standard/London

Nick Clegg yesterday tried to draw a line under disastrous election results and calls for him to quit by claiming the Liberal Democrats are “like a big family”.

After the deputy prime minister’s party was wiped out in elections last week he broadcast a video message to party members in a bid to unite them behind him - admitting it had been a “difficult weekend” which left his party having an “argument” about its future.

But he said it was critical to focus on running a strong campaign for the general election in May next year.

The move came after hundreds of party members signed an open letter calling on Clegg to stand down.

Long-time critic Lord Oakeshott was also accused of secretly commissioning and leaking a poll to undermine the LibDem leader and pressure him to quit.

In his message, posted on the LibDem Voice activist website, Clegg said: “It’s been a very difficult weekend for us as a party. It’s led to a lot of soul-searching, debate and even argument about what we should do as a party.”

Clegg thanked members for their work and said debate about the future should not obscure the “immense pride” activists should have in LibDem resilience. He went on: “At the end of the day, yes, we are a political party, but we are like a big family too.

“And it is so important now that we come together and focus on the challenge we have in 12 months’ time of fighting a successful general election campaign.

“No one is going to tell our story for us, no one is going to shout about our achievements unless we do.”

About 390 LibDems from around the country have put their name to a new website called LibDems4change.org. The site calls for Clegg to stand aside, saying it is vital the person who is LibDem leader gets a “fair hearing” in 2015.

It then goes on: “It is clear to us that this person is not you.”

On Tuesday a survey of marginal seats was leaked to a national newspaper suggesting the party would do better if Clegg were replaced by Vince Cable.

The business secretary interrupted a trip to China to condemn the “inexcusable and unacceptable” leaking of the poll, blamed on Lord Oakeshott — who did not respond to calls yesterday.

Cable said: “There are undoubtedly raw feelings in the wake of poor local and European election results. We need to respond in a measured way. Public speculation about the leadership is an unwelcome distraction.”