The deputy prime minister paid a visit to Sutton this afternoon to celebrate businesses and apprenticeships.

Nick Clegg dropped in at fireplace making company Nu Flame, in the Kimpton Park Business Development, Minden Road, Sutton.

The visit comes just after traders in the business park voted to become a Business Improvement District (BID), which means they will invest in the area and support economic growth.

Mr Clegg spoke to factory workers and apprentices to lend his support.
He said: "We have dramatically increased the number of apprenticeships funded by the government.

"Not everybody wants to have their noses in books, it is a great way to make that journey from education."

The Liberal Democrats leader dismissed claims he planned to drop his parties opposition to the expansion of airport capacity in south-east England, which would blight the lives of people living in Putney.

He said: "We will not back any project to increase aviation capacity if it increases current levels of noise and air pollution.

"That is why we continue to remain sceptical about all of this within the Howard Davies report."

Mr Clegg also lent his support to the safe bet campaign, which calls on the government to bring in safer measures for people working in betting shops.

He said: "I am not familiar with the individual cases, any danger to people who are employed in the betting shops industry should be going about their jobs without violence.

"It is very important newspapers like yourself have highlighted that there is danger.

"I am not sure of what exactly are the measures best placed to deal with the issue, but nobody should not be suffering from violence and intimidation in the work place."

Earlier today Mayor of London Boris Johnson visited Sutton High Street after calling Mr Clegg 'a lapdog of David Cameron.'

But Mr Clegg responded it is Mr Johnson's way to "thrash around his weight."

Nu Flame has been based in the industrial park since 1999 and hires 32 people.

The business district successfully renewed it's contract of BID status on December 13, with traders benefiting from CCTV coverage, security patrols and a joint training course programme.