JOB losses, a stuttering economy, and two parties in power at loggerheads – if you think things are tough now then brace yourself for the next 12 months.

The warning comes in the week which has marked the first anniversary of the whirlwind romance between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

From the love-in between Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at Number 10 to the bitter breakdown during the local elections and referendum on the Alternative Vote system last week – the last year has been nothing short of eventful in the world of British politics.

And it has been a steep learning curve for five of Worcestershire’s six MPs, all Conservatives, who were propelled to Westminster for the first time in their political careers to represent the county’s constituents this time last year.

Robin Walker, Worcester’s MP, gave the coalition Government a score of eight or nine out of 10 for its first year in office but with hundreds, if not thousands, of job losses in Worcestershire looming on the horizon he admitted the worst could still be yet to come.

“Unemployment is one of the biggest concerns and this year will be one of the toughest years,” he said. “Although the economy is recovering gradually it is a year where a lot of pain will be felt but I think what we saw at the local elections is an understanding from the people that this is a problem we have to manage through.

“If we can do that we will hopefully get to the holy grail of a strong, growing economy and I think that is possible. That will be the big test of this Government.”

Councillor Adrian Gregson, Labour’s leader on Worcester City Council, said he thought the country had “gone from bad to worse” under the coalition Government.

“I don’t think we have seen the worst of it yet,” he said. “The cuts and redundancies will really start to bite now and the voluntary, social and public sectors will really start to suffer.

“If the economy is going to get back on track what are we going to have lost in the meantime?

“Once you have sold the family silver you don’t get it back. What we lose in the meantime and what impact that has on people’s lives is not worth it in my opinion.”

Mr Walker said: “I’m very content with what the coalition Government has done, tried to do and achieved so far but we are not really going to know whether it has worked until we are further on in government.

“I think a lot of the benefits will be back-loaded.

“People just need to hold their nerve while continuing to respond to concerns but I do think we need to make sure we keep on the same direction of travel.”

Mr Walker said that while he was particularly pleased with the introduction of a number of initiatives, such as the pupil premium combined with the fact a consultation on a fairer funding system for schools is currently taking place, he admitted others, particularly the proposed forest sell-off, were failures.

But the question on everyone’s lips at the moment is whether the coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will survive the full five-year term. Mr Walker certainly hopes it will.

“They will have a very hard time over the next few weeks but I don’t think the media narrative we’re getting at the moment is necessarily painting the whole picture,” he said.

“Vince Cable has said the Liberal Democrats entered into the coalition not because they liked us but because they thought it was the right thing to do for the country.

“I think that will win through at the end of the day – I hope it will because we have a lot more work to do.”

Councillor Sue Askin, Liberal Democrat leader on Worcester City Council, said she still supports the coalition but said: “I’m not sure what the future will be.

“I think the coalition will survive but there is a question mark over Nick Clegg – that’s inevitable but I still support him.

“I think we have taken an awful lot of the flak and we haven’t been as street smart as the Conservatives.

“I agree with one or two leading MPs that I don’t think we have been sufficiently robust in publicising our achievements.

“You can’t hide the fact we are going through a rough patch at the moment and I think a lack of high profile of our achievements has been a factor.”