By . David Richards . Last updated at 4:13 PM on 14th December 2011 . Nick Clegg took his seat alongside the Prime Minister today for the final session of Prime Minister's Questions before Christmas today. On Monday the pro-European Deputy Prime Minister failed to take his seat on the Government front benches to hear David Cameron defend his use of the veto at the EU summit which saw him dubbed 'the incredible sulk'. Shortly after the start of the session to loud cheers from Labour MPs Ed Miliband gestured to Mr Clegg and said: 'It is good to see the Deputy Prime Minister back on the frontbench.' Rather not be here? Nick Clegg looks into the distance as David Cameron begins PMQs in the Commons today . The Prime Minister speaking on Monday in the House of Commons where he defended his decision to veto a new European Union treaty amid criticism from Mr Clegg that the move was 'bad for Britain' Paul Waugh, editor of PoliticsHome.com, pointed out with this tweet that with David Miliband not in the Chamber, he'd effectively 'done a Nick' Labour MPs mocked Mr Clegg for exposing coalition rifts over Europe by staying away from the chamber on Monday for the Prime Minister's statement on the Brussels summit. Mr Miliband said that Mr Cameron had promised the coalition Government would operate in a 'collegiate' way, and asked: 'What's gone wrong?' But Mr Cameron retorted: 'No one in this House is going to be surprised that Conservatives and Liberal Democrats don't always agree about Europe... 'I make no apology for standing up for Britain.' Mr Miliband told Mr Cameron that negotiations on the implementation of last week's inter-governmental agreement on a new fiscal compact for the eurozone would continue until March and it was not too late for the UK to rejoin discussions. 'In the cold light of day, with other countries spending the weeks and months ahead trying to see if they can get a better deal for themselves, isn't the sensible thing to do to re-enter the negotiations and try to get a better deal for Britain?' asked the Labour leader. Mr Miliband also offered his sympathy to Mr Clegg, who was woken in the early hours of last Friday to be told that Mr Cameron had used the veto to block EU treaty changes designed to impose new fiscal disciplines on eurozone states. The Deputy Prime Minister addresses business leaders this morning. European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said yesterday that a demand by Britain for its financial services industry to be exempted from EU regulation threatened to break up the single market . David Cameron leaves Downing Street as he prepares to address Prime Ministers Question's at the House of Commons . 'I think our sympathy is with the . Deputy Prime Minister,' said the Labour leader. 'His partner goes on a . business trip, he is left waiting by the phone and he hears nothing . until a rambling phone call at 4am confessing to a terrible mistake.' But Mr Cameron said Mr Miliband had . failed to make clear whether he would have signed the proposed treaty, . taunting him: 'This leader of the Labour Party makes weakness and . indecision into an art form.' Mr Cameron sought to turn Mr . Miliband's accusations of a rift back on the Labour leader by . highlighting his own differences with brother David. Responding to the Labour leader's . taunts about his row with Mr Clegg, the Prime Minister said to loud Tory . cheers: 'He shouldn't believe everything he reads in the papers. It's . not that bad - it's not like we're brothers or anything.' Paul Waugh, editor of PoliticsHome.com, tweeted that with David Miliband not in the Chamber, he'd effectively 'done a Nick' Then looking directly at Mr Miliband, Mr Cameron hit back at the Labour leader for not saying what he would have done at the Euro summit. 'He has completely united his party, . every single one has asked Santa for the same thing, a new leader for . Christmas,' said the Prime Minister. The clash came shortly after Mr Clegg . met a group of pro-European business leaders who are concerned over the . use of the veto and over Mr Cameron's threat to block the use of EU . institutions to support the new compact. Despite the deep differences on . Europe between the coalition parties exposed by Mr Cameron's decision to . deploy the UK veto last week, Mr Clegg insisted he spoke for the whole . Government in asserting the need for Britain to 're-engage' with Europe. The . Deputy Prime Minister was addressing members of pro-single market group . Business For New Europe (BNE), whose director Philip Souta said Mr . Cameron was mistaken to wield the veto. The breakfast meeting in a London hotel . came just hours before Mr Clegg was appeared alongside Mr . Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons. Mr Clegg and his Liberal Democrat MPs abstained en masse last night rather than back a motion congratulating Mr Cameron for protecting British interests in Brussels. He told the business leaders: 'As the dust settles on the summit that took place last week, I speak here on behalf of the whole coalition Government, notwithstanding the differences of view between the parties within the Government. 'The whole Government is absolutely determined to re-engage with our European partners, to get back on the front foot and to make sure that our vital national economic self-interest in being at the heart of the single market is properly followed through the weeks and months ahead.' He told the BNE Advisory Council members, including Tory peer and former European Commissioner Lord Brittan, Centrica chairman Sir Roger Carr and BAA chief executive Colin Matthews: 'You know as well as I do that your businesses and millions of people's jobs in this country depend on our place at the heart of the single market.' Mr Clegg said there was 'a considerable amount of uncertainty' about how the fiscal compact agreed by up to 26 EU states in Brussels last Friday would work in practice. Following yesterday's Cabinet meeting, there was speculation that Mr Cameron may be prepared to offer an olive branch to Lib Dem colleagues by softening his objections to the EU institutions, like the Commission and European Court of Justice, being used to support the compact. Mr Clegg called for 'calm' after the confrontational rhetoric seen yesterday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where some MEPs issued demands for Britain to lose its rebate in retaliation for its lack of 'solidarity'. 'We saw some pretty intemperate remarks aimed at Britain yesterday in the European Parliament,' said Mr Clegg. 'I hope we can move beyond that and work together to ensure that our calm, reasoned and engaged voice is heard positively within the EU institutions in the period to come.' With three million British jobs dependent on the single market, he said Government and business should work together to ensure that 'those countries that invest very heavily in the UK from Asia, from Latin America and elsewhere are absolutely in no doubt that Britain is and will always remain a gateway for trade and for the exchange of services and goods into the European single market'. He added: 'That is the reason they invested in Britain in the first place and we must make absolutely sure that they remain confident that these reasons still prevail and still support further decisions for increased investment in the UK.' Mr Clegg was flanked at the meeting - chaired by BNE chairman Roland Rudd - by Lib Dem Cabinet colleagues Vince Cable, Chris Huhne and Danny Alexander as well as senior backbencher David Laws. Mr Souta told the Press Association that BNE was a coalition of 'pragmatic pro-European business leaders who want the British Government to be engaged in the process'. 'We think that we need to support the eurozone and the best way of doing that is by ensuring that the Commission and Court and the institutions are involved in this new fiscal compact,' said Mr Souta. 'If the euro collapses it will have a massive negative impact on Britain. 'We think the PM did the wrong thing in using the veto.' Leaving after an hour's discussions, Mr Rudd said: 'We had a really good meeting and we are all on the same page and want constructive engagement and finding the formula that gets us back in with the 26. 'Business clearly wants a deepening and widening of the single market and that is what our message is in terms of wanting to see greater reforms. We are not defending the status quo, we are trying to see a changed and reformed Europe.' Asked if Mr Cameron was wrong to use the veto, Mr Rudd said: 'I think people are concerned about the position we are in but they are encouraged at what they have heard recently.'
To Labour cheers, Ed Miliband : 'It is good to see the Deputy Prime Minister back on the front bench'
Cameron: 'He [Ed Miliband] has completely united his party, every single one has asked Santa for the same thing, a new leader for Christmas.'
By . David Richards . Last updated at 4:13 PM on 14th December 2011 . Nick Clegg took his seat alongside the Prime Minister today for the final session of Prime Minister's Questions before Christmas today. On Monday the pro-European Deputy Prime Minister failed to take his seat on the Government front benches to hear David Cameron defend his use of the veto at the EU summit which saw him dubbed 'the incredible sulk'. Shortly after the start of the session to loud cheers from Labour MPs Ed Miliband gestured to Mr Clegg and said: 'It is good to see the Deputy Prime Minister back on the frontbench.' Rather not be here? Nick Clegg looks into the distance as David Cameron begins PMQs in the Commons today . The Prime Minister speaking on Monday in the House of Commons where he defended his decision to veto a new European Union treaty amid criticism from Mr Clegg that the move was 'bad for Britain' Paul Waugh, editor of PoliticsHome.com, pointed out with this tweet that with David Miliband not in the Chamber, he'd effectively 'done a Nick' Labour MPs mocked Mr Clegg for exposing coalition rifts over Europe by staying away from the chamber on Monday for the Prime Minister's statement on the Brussels summit. Mr Miliband said that Mr Cameron had promised the coalition Government would operate in a 'collegiate' way, and asked: 'What's gone wrong?' But Mr Cameron retorted: 'No one in this House is going to be surprised that Conservatives and Liberal Democrats don't always agree about Europe... 'I make no apology for standing up for Britain.' Mr Miliband told Mr Cameron that negotiations on the implementation of last week's inter-governmental agreement on a new fiscal compact for the eurozone would continue until March and it was not too late for the UK to rejoin discussions. 'In the cold light of day, with other countries spending the weeks and months ahead trying to see if they can get a better deal for themselves, isn't the sensible thing to do to re-enter the negotiations and try to get a better deal for Britain?' asked the Labour leader. Mr Miliband also offered his sympathy to Mr Clegg, who was woken in the early hours of last Friday to be told that Mr Cameron had used the veto to block EU treaty changes designed to impose new fiscal disciplines on eurozone states. The Deputy Prime Minister addresses business leaders this morning. European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said yesterday that a demand by Britain for its financial services industry to be exempted from EU regulation threatened to break up the single market . David Cameron leaves Downing Street as he prepares to address Prime Ministers Question's at the House of Commons . 'I think our sympathy is with the . Deputy Prime Minister,' said the Labour leader. 'His partner goes on a . business trip, he is left waiting by the phone and he hears nothing . until a rambling phone call at 4am confessing to a terrible mistake.' But Mr Cameron said Mr Miliband had . failed to make clear whether he would have signed the proposed treaty, . taunting him: 'This leader of the Labour Party makes weakness and . indecision into an art form.' Mr Cameron sought to turn Mr . Miliband's accusations of a rift back on the Labour leader by . highlighting his own differences with brother David. Responding to the Labour leader's . taunts about his row with Mr Clegg, the Prime Minister said to loud Tory . cheers: 'He shouldn't believe everything he reads in the papers. It's . not that bad - it's not like we're brothers or anything.' Paul Waugh, editor of PoliticsHome.com, tweeted that with David Miliband not in the Chamber, he'd effectively 'done a Nick' Then looking directly at Mr Miliband, Mr Cameron hit back at the Labour leader for not saying what he would have done at the Euro summit. 'He has completely united his party, . every single one has asked Santa for the same thing, a new leader for . Christmas,' said the Prime Minister. The clash came shortly after Mr Clegg . met a group of pro-European business leaders who are concerned over the . use of the veto and over Mr Cameron's threat to block the use of EU . institutions to support the new compact. Despite the deep differences on . Europe between the coalition parties exposed by Mr Cameron's decision to . deploy the UK veto last week, Mr Clegg insisted he spoke for the whole . Government in asserting the need for Britain to 're-engage' with Europe. The . Deputy Prime Minister was addressing members of pro-single market group . Business For New Europe (BNE), whose director Philip Souta said Mr . Cameron was mistaken to wield the veto. The breakfast meeting in a London hotel . came just hours before Mr Clegg was appeared alongside Mr . Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons. Mr Clegg and his Liberal Democrat MPs abstained en masse last night rather than back a motion congratulating Mr Cameron for protecting British interests in Brussels. He told the business leaders: 'As the dust settles on the summit that took place last week, I speak here on behalf of the whole coalition Government, notwithstanding the differences of view between the parties within the Government. 'The whole Government is absolutely determined to re-engage with our European partners, to get back on the front foot and to make sure that our vital national economic self-interest in being at the heart of the single market is properly followed through the weeks and months ahead.' He told the BNE Advisory Council members, including Tory peer and former European Commissioner Lord Brittan, Centrica chairman Sir Roger Carr and BAA chief executive Colin Matthews: 'You know as well as I do that your businesses and millions of people's jobs in this country depend on our place at the heart of the single market.' Mr Clegg said there was 'a considerable amount of uncertainty' about how the fiscal compact agreed by up to 26 EU states in Brussels last Friday would work in practice. Following yesterday's Cabinet meeting, there was speculation that Mr Cameron may be prepared to offer an olive branch to Lib Dem colleagues by softening his objections to the EU institutions, like the Commission and European Court of Justice, being used to support the compact. Mr Clegg called for 'calm' after the confrontational rhetoric seen yesterday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where some MEPs issued demands for Britain to lose its rebate in retaliation for its lack of 'solidarity'. 'We saw some pretty intemperate remarks aimed at Britain yesterday in the European Parliament,' said Mr Clegg. 'I hope we can move beyond that and work together to ensure that our calm, reasoned and engaged voice is heard positively within the EU institutions in the period to come.' With three million British jobs dependent on the single market, he said Government and business should work together to ensure that 'those countries that invest very heavily in the UK from Asia, from Latin America and elsewhere are absolutely in no doubt that Britain is and will always remain a gateway for trade and for the exchange of services and goods into the European single market'. He added: 'That is the reason they invested in Britain in the first place and we must make absolutely sure that they remain confident that these reasons still prevail and still support further decisions for increased investment in the UK.' Mr Clegg was flanked at the meeting - chaired by BNE chairman Roland Rudd - by Lib Dem Cabinet colleagues Vince Cable, Chris Huhne and Danny Alexander as well as senior backbencher David Laws. Mr Souta told the Press Association that BNE was a coalition of 'pragmatic pro-European business leaders who want the British Government to be engaged in the process'. 'We think that we need to support the eurozone and the best way of doing that is by ensuring that the Commission and Court and the institutions are involved in this new fiscal compact,' said Mr Souta. 'If the euro collapses it will have a massive negative impact on Britain. 'We think the PM did the wrong thing in using the veto.' Leaving after an hour's discussions, Mr Rudd said: 'We had a really good meeting and we are all on the same page and want constructive engagement and finding the formula that gets us back in with the 26. 'Business clearly wants a deepening and widening of the single market and that is what our message is in terms of wanting to see greater reforms. We are not defending the status quo, we are trying to see a changed and reformed Europe.' Asked if Mr Cameron was wrong to use the veto, Mr Rudd said: 'I think people are concerned about the position we are in but they are encouraged at what they have heard recently.'
to Mr Clegg and said: 'It is good to see the Deputy Prime Minister back on the frontbench.' the Euro summit. 'He has completely united his party, . every single one has asked Santa for the same thing, a new leader for . Christmas,' said