JEREMY Browne has spoken of the "puzzling" and "painful" experience of being sacked as a Home Office Minister by LibDem leader Nick Clegg.

In an interview in The Times, Mr Browne, MP for Taunton Deane since 2005, says it struck him as "ominous" when he received a call on the day of the Government reshuffle from LibDem leader Nick Clegg, who he has always supported.

He goes on to chide his fellow LibDems for distancing themselves from their Coaltion colleagues the Conservatives, although he says there is no way he will join the Tories, as has been speculated in some quarters.

He says: "I saw my role, and continue to do so, as doing everything I can to accelerate the LibDems' journey from a party of protest to a party of government."

Mr Browne talks of the "absolutely exhausting level of commitment and dedication" put into twice winning the Taunton Deane seat, where "the margin between me and my principal challenger was less then one per cent".

He adds: "I know what it is to be a LibDem in a tough fight."

The Times suggests that Mr Browne was happier serving as a Minister under Foreign Secretary William Hague than he was under Home Secretary Theresa May.

And he feels he was unfairly criticised for not stopping the Home Office poster van campaign urging illegal immigrants to 'Go Home'.

He says he was in Asia at the time and only found out about the campaign after it went live.