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How hard was it for the Lib Dem partners in the coalition to sit through a package of deficit-reducing measures that bites so hard into the welfare budget?

Not that hard, according to Norman Lamb, Lib Dem MP for North Norfolk and Nick Clegg's political advisor.

I asked him if this was what Lib Dem supporters voted for.

"Despite being in such a desperate situation because of the deficit, people need to remember that we have managed to raise the tax threshold to £10,000. We've helped the green economy, we've kept the pupil premium to support less advantaged children and we promised to reform politics. All of those pledges we have stuck to."

He acknowledged that it is going to be hard for people, particularly those who lose their jobs but he defended the welfare cuts, saying people needed to break from a dependency culture.

"Housing benefit does need reform. It has doubled in real terms, and it has been private sector landlords that have been the beneficiaries. The system is out of control.

"A girl came to my surgery. She's 21 or so and lives with her boyfriend in a private flat. They both work in Morrisons. There's no prospect of them getting a council house and they are paying much more rent than someone who is lucky enough to have council accommodation. Now is that fair?

"We are going to build 150,000 council houses, which is a lot more than the last government."

I am sure they will be very welcome but that could mean roughly 10,000 new council homes in this region, around 2500 per county.

I hope there are not too many more young women living in hope of some affordable housing, as this feels like a very small drop in a very large ocean.

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