NFRN president Parminder Singh buttonholed the deputy PM at the Lib Dems' spring conference in Sheffield last weekend.

Singh told Nick Clegg of his members' disquiet over the wholesaler duopoly, crime, planning rules and the tobacco display ban. He also grilled Clegg over the coalition's strategy for small shops and was told by Danny Alexander, chief secretary to the treasury, the government would do its best to protect independent newsagents.

While in Sheffield, Clegg officially reopened a post office sited in a Newsplus store in the Parkhead area.