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14/09/2004
Lib Dems unveil 'Top 10' election pledges
Putting 10,000 more police officers on the beat and offering free transport for pensioners are among the Lib Dems' 'Top Ten' pledges for the forthcoming general election.
Stressing that today's pledges were 'pre-manifesto' – a selection of core goals which will be built upon for the final manifesto launch – Lib Dems leader Charles Kennedy said that values outlined today underpinned the party's agenda of "freedom, fairness and trust".
Speaking at Liberal Democrat Headquarters in Cowley Street, Mr Kennedy said: "Freedom is about giving people the opportunity to make choices for themselves. Fairness is about equal access - a decent health service, a quality education. And trust is about telling the truth when it counts and trusting people to make decisions.
"These ideas are already working for us. We have tried and tested them. They worked for us to bring victory in the Brent East by election, and in Leicester South. They are working for us now in Hartlepool.
"As this Labour Government becomes more unpopular, increasingly the challengers are not the Conservatives. The challengers are the Liberal Democrats."
Matthew Taylor, Chairman of the Lib Dem Parliamentary party, who is chairing the development of the manifesto, said that the alternative to Labour was not squabbling, outlandish Tories, but a Liberal Democrat party that has "quietly and confidently set out a clear, costed and popular agenda for Britain".
Among the rest of the party's top 10 goals are: cutting government interference in the jobs of doctors and nurses; cutting the Council Tax in favour of a Local Income Tax; opposition to tuition and top up fees; more investment in children's early years; and £25 more on the pension every week at 75.
(gmcg/mb)
Stressing that today's pledges were 'pre-manifesto' – a selection of core goals which will be built upon for the final manifesto launch – Lib Dems leader Charles Kennedy said that values outlined today underpinned the party's agenda of "freedom, fairness and trust".
Speaking at Liberal Democrat Headquarters in Cowley Street, Mr Kennedy said: "Freedom is about giving people the opportunity to make choices for themselves. Fairness is about equal access - a decent health service, a quality education. And trust is about telling the truth when it counts and trusting people to make decisions.
"These ideas are already working for us. We have tried and tested them. They worked for us to bring victory in the Brent East by election, and in Leicester South. They are working for us now in Hartlepool.
"As this Labour Government becomes more unpopular, increasingly the challengers are not the Conservatives. The challengers are the Liberal Democrats."
Matthew Taylor, Chairman of the Lib Dem Parliamentary party, who is chairing the development of the manifesto, said that the alternative to Labour was not squabbling, outlandish Tories, but a Liberal Democrat party that has "quietly and confidently set out a clear, costed and popular agenda for Britain".
Among the rest of the party's top 10 goals are: cutting government interference in the jobs of doctors and nurses; cutting the Council Tax in favour of a Local Income Tax; opposition to tuition and top up fees; more investment in children's early years; and £25 more on the pension every week at 75.
(gmcg/mb)
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