--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't become leader to transform the…" description: "\"I didn't become leader to transform the Liberal Democrats into an enlarged form of the Electoral Reform Society. It's not the be all and end all for us..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/nick-clegg-8434_ambition_i-didn-t-become-leader-to-transform-the_1557320.png" --- # I didn't become leader to transform the Liberal Democrats… ![“I didn't become leader to transform the Liberal Democrats into an enlarged form of the Electoral Reform Society. It's not the be all and end all for us. There are other very, very key ambitions in politics, not least social mobility and life chances, that I care about as passionately if not more.” quote by Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/nick-clegg-8434_ambition_i-didn-t-become-leader-to-transform-the_1557320.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/nick-clegg-8434_ambition_i-didn-t-become-leader-to-transform-the_1557320.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/nick-clegg-8434_ambition_i-didn-t-become-leader-to-transform-the_1557320.png) > “I didn't become leader to transform the Liberal Democrats into an enlarged form of the Electoral Reform Society. It's not the be all and end all for us. There are other very, very key ambitions in politics, not least social mobility and life chances, that I care about as passionately if not more.” [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He clarifies that his leadership goal isn’t to reshape a party into a reform society, but to address broader political ambitions like social mobility. **In simple terms:** Leadership aims beyond party transformation to societal issues. Key Takeaway Focus on wide‑ranging political goals, not just party reform. Themes politics leadership social mobility ambition Mood strategic optimistic Type political visionary When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy planning - public discourse Key Concepts policy reform social equity Questions to Reflect On - What are the most pressing social issues today? - How can leaders balance party goals with societal needs? A Different Perspective May underestimate party dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social mobility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-mobility/) ## Related quotes > [“It was all very well occupying the moral high ground on electoral reform, but what really mattered, she thought, was how you treated your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-was-all-very-well-occupying-the-moral-high-ground-on-electoral/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [The notion that you can duff up a country for three months, pacify it for a bit longer and then miraculously transform it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/the-notion-that-you-can-duff-up-a-country-for-three-months-pacify-it/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [The Liberal Democrats will add a heart to a Conservative government and a brain to a Labour one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/the-liberal-democrats-will-add-a-heart-to-a-conservative-government/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [Most people in this country are very fair-minded; they understand we're in the middle of a very difficult journey of repairing, rescuing, restoring our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/most-people-in-this-country-are-very-fair-minded-they-understand-we/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [I wish more people knew that the only one of the three main parties where not a single MP flipped from one property to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-wish-more-people-knew-that-the-only-one-of-the-three-main-parties/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [If there's one thing I'm not going to apologise for as the leader of the Liberal Democrats in government after 60 or 70 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/if-there-s-one-thing-i-m-not-going-to-apologise-for-as-the-leader-of/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [The Labour Party has become consumed by collective bile towards... the Liberal Democrats. That portrays a rather nasty arrogance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/the-labour-party-has-become-consumed-by-collective-bile-towards-the/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [Liberal Democrats in government will not follow the last Labour government by sounding the retreat on the protection of civil liberties in the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/liberal-democrats-in-government-will-not-follow-the-last-labour/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [The Liberal Democrat Party and the Conservative Party come at things very differently when it comes to Europe. 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Promoting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/if-you-scratch-below-the-surface-and-ask-what-really-makes-me-tick-it/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [The Liberal Democrats are proud pro-Europeans, and internationalists - and always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/the-liberal-democrats-are-proud-pro-europeans-and-internationalists/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [I am so glad that as a party the Liberal Democrats are united in our resolve to fight for staying in the EU -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/i-am-so-glad-that-as-a-party-the-liberal-democrats-are-united-in-our/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [Three simple words - freedom, justice and honesty. These sum up what the Liberal Democrats stand for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/three-simple-words-freedom-justice-and-honesty-these-sum-up-what-the/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [I'm impressed by Jo Swinson. I think if I was living in a lot of constituencies I would lend my vote to the Liberal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gauke/i-m-impressed-by-jo-swinson-i-think-if-i-was-living-in-a-lot-of/) [David Gauke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gauke/) ## More by Nick Clegg > [I've just been away for a week, and I dropped my BlackBerry in the sea while I was messing around with the kids, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-ve-just-been-away-for-a-week-and-i-dropped-my-blackberry-in-the-sea/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [ \[All governments\] get into a rut where every potentially good story turns into a bad one. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/all-governments-get-into-a-rut-where-every-potentially-good-story/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [I say this as a young dad seeing children going into primary school: I don't think we should underestimate the formative effect on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-say-this-as-a-young-dad-seeing-children-going-into-primary-school-i/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [I am a passionate believer in freedom of speech. 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It's not for us to write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/we-are-keen-to-stress-that-a-strong-euro-zone-is-good-for-a-strong/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [I will not accept a new wave of fiscal retrenchment, of belt-tightening, without asking people at the top to make their contribution, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-will-not-accept-a-new-wave-of-fiscal-retrenchment-of-belt/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [I am quite strict as a dad but I don't want to be censorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-am-quite-strict-as-a-dad-but-i-don-t-want-to-be-censorious/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [We have got to make sure there is proper independent scrutiny and accountability for people in the press, just as there should be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/we-have-got-to-make-sure-there-is-proper-independent-scrutiny-and/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [I totally accept that it's a legitimate criticism that when you are involved in the day-to-day scrum of government... that what can get lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/i-totally-accept-that-it-s-a-legitimate-criticism-that-when-you-are/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [We need to teach our kids, because there is such a celebrity culture at the moment, that however rich you are, however famous you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/we-need-to-teach-our-kids-because-there-is-such-a-celebrity-culture/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [“There is a future for us in that reformed Union, if we are prepared to grasp it. Brexit does not have to be hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/there-is-a-future-for-us-in-that-reformed-union-if-we-are-prepared-to/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) > [One of the best ways to make growth personal is to give employees a share in their firm, a real incentive to go the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clegg/one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-growth-personal-is-to-give-employees-a/) [Nick Clegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) [Explore all 81 Nick Clegg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clegg/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't become leader to transform the Liberal Democrats into an enlarged form of the Electoral Reform Society. 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