London: British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has said voters angry about government spending cuts put dog excrement in his letterbox.
In an interview to appear in the December issue of Esquire, Clegg speaks about the pressures of a job he never expected to find himself in, saying he is sometimes working from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
"There are huge pressures, people say unpleasant things. I think I'm more resilient, thick-skinned. I'm incredibly lucky," the Daily Mail quoted Clegg as saying.
Clegg said the government's cancellation of an 80-million-pound taxpayer-funded loan to a steel manufacturer brought him face to face with voters' anger.
"Yes, people are very angry. You don't have to tell me. I'm getting dog excrement through my letterbox. People are spitting at me. But this loan was one of the biggest commitments, the money has to be borrowed and the risk borne by taxpayers. It's not a free lollipop," Clegg said.
Neighbours of Clegg's home in Putney in south-west London, however, said they had never seen any harassment or vandalism.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, October 30, 2010, 16:35