ED Miliband yesterday all but ruled out a Lib-Lab coalition with Nick Clegg remaining at the helm of the Liberal Democrats.

The Labour leader's rebuff came just 24 hours after Mr Clegg revealed that, if at the next General Election in 2015, there were another hung parliament, he could do a deal with Mr Miliband.

The Labour leader said: "Clegg's biggest problem is that he will say he is a brake on the Tories but he is an accomplice. He chose not to kill the Health and Social Care Bill – a really bad bill doing damage to the NHS – and to pursue House of Lords reform."

Asked if he could work with the LibDem leader, Mr Miliband replied: "I would find it difficult."

This echoes the position at the last election when Mr Clegg made it clear his party could work with Labour but not if Gordon Brown remained leader.

In the end, the Lib- Dems partnered the Conservatives.

Mr Miliband's frank remarks coincided with what appeared to be a putative future bid for the leadership by Vince Cable, the Business Secretary.

The Twickenham MP made clear he would not exclude "a punt" for the Liberal Democrat crown in the future. In the last party leadership contest Mr Cable did not stand, believing his age, now 69, would count against him. But he said on Saturday: "The worship of youth has diminished in recent years."