THERE was a curious mood at this week's gathering of the Liberal Democrats; a contented Zen-like resignation to their fate.

One senior figure confided there had been a feeling within the ranks for so long that the party was going to get "whacked" at the election, that psychologically members had become accustomed to it. "The question now is: how big will the whacking be?" he added.

When the party leader starts talking, as he did, about life beyond politics, it might suggest within its own collective mind the Lib Dem leadership is preparing for public punishment if not exit after May 7.

With the party polling little above seven per cent, Nick Clegg attracting a record low personal rating of minus 42 and the prospect of another lost deposit in today's Clacton by-election, when the Deputy Prime Minister told activists they were facing the "fight of our lives", he wasn't kidding.

The main message of the past five days has been clear: majority government next spring bad - as it would simply deliver into power either an economically incompetent Labour Party or a socially unjust Conservative Party - coalition government good - as it would include the civilising force of the Liberal Democrats.

Only they, Mr Clegg repeatedly insisted could be trusted to deliver a fair agenda rooted in the centre ground.

He contrasted the Liberal tradition of pursuing the great British values of compassion and fairness with the politics of blame, grievance and fear pursued, he claimed, by the likes of Alex Salmond and Nigel Farage.

In the relieved wake of the referendum, the DPM again insisted more Scottish powers would be delivered no ifs, no buts.

Yet he derided the Tories for seeking political advantage on English devolution, saying he would block any political land-grab by introducing a proportionate element into Commons debates and votes. Good luck.

The conference had the usual ingredients, including Tory-bashing with Basher-in-Chief Vince Cable branding the Conservatives "Ukip without the beer", and a defeat for the leadership; this time on airport expansion

After Chancellor George Osborne, as expected, stole Lib Dem clothes on the tax-free personal allowance, it was the DPM's main task of conference to lasso it back into yellow territory, insisting that increasing it was in fact a Lib Dem not a Tory idea and would happen in a quicker, fairer way with his party again in power.

Interestingly, Mr Clegg had a message for those Opposition-minded doubters in the audience who thought the Coalition had been a bad idea, saying no Lib Dem could deny the party had been in bed with the Tories and, in fact, they should be proud of the Coalition's children; most notably economic recovery.

But one can't help feeling that after May 7, Mr Clegg will be whacking balls on the fairway rather than cracking jokes in the No 10 rose garden.