Nick Clegg spoof 'I'm sorry' video song to be released

A spoof video where Nick Clegg appears to sing an apology about his party's tuition fees U-turn is to be released as a single on iTunes.

The deputy prime minister has given his permission for the film to be issued by satirical website thepoke after it received thousands of views.

He has requested all profits be given to the Children's Hospital Charity in Sheffield, where he is an MP.

Mr Clegg's wife Miriam is a patron of the charity.

The charity helps supports children's services across the Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust.

An "auto-tune" version of Mr Clegg's statement - in which he repeatedly sings sorry - emerged on Thursday.

The official version, in which Mr Clegg apologises for the Lib Dems breaking their pre-election pledge not to raise tuition fees, is to be officially broadcast on Monday - the third day of the party's autumn conference.

Asked about the spoof video's release, Lib Dem Pensions Minister Steve Webb joked that the party would be hiring the website to produce its next party political broadcast.

He told the BBC's Daily Politics that it "took guts" for Mr Clegg to make such a public apology and that political parties did not get anywhere without "taking chances".

"He knew this was going to be on YouTube," he said. "He knew it was going to be out there but he thought it was the right thing to do and I agree with him."

Liam Burns, from the National Union of Students, said Mr Clegg was a "good sport" for allowing the video to be released.

But he claimed the gesture would be "no solace" to graduates leaving university with huge debts and the apology was more about Mr Clegg's efforts to "detoxify himself" after the fees row than embracing more "honest politics".