The Deputy Prime Minister praises hard working families in Cricklewood

Nick Clegg appeared at a builders’ merchant this morning praising the hard working Britons he has dubbed ‘Alarm Clock Britain’ and attacking the City’s bonus culture.

The Deputy Prime Minister arrived at 6.30am at Jewsons, on Cricklewood Broadway, to talk with management and staff.

He said: “I’ve been talking with people here at this builders’ merchants. People who get up early, what I call alarm clock Britain, work hard, play by the rules, pay their taxes.

Commenting on recent reports that Stephen Hester chief executive of bailed out bank RBS, will being awarded a �2.5 million bonus, Mr Clegg said: “People, and I share this, who think that a lot of these bonuses, or at least the way they’ve been floated, look as if they are pay awards from another planet.”

Many staff came to work early to get the chance to meet the under fire Lib-Dem leader.

Mr Clegg spent time touring the store and talking with fork-lift drivers, shift workers and sales people.

Asad Hussain, assistant branch manager at Jewson Cricklewood, said: “It’s hard times out there and they have come tome and find out how things are for us.

“We have asked him a few probing questions but he does seem like a very authentic guy which you don’t always see.”

Mr Clegg stressed the changes that will be made to the basic rate of tax in April which will increase the amount people aren’t charged income tax to �6,475 to �7,475.