Liberal Democrats launch manifesto for a fairer Britain

The Liberal Democrats have launched their election manifesto, promising “dignity for older people, real opportunity for our children and a fair deal for families”.

Declaring his party the “real alternative”, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy laid out the party’s priorities for the election campaign.

Mr Kennedy pledged to end “unfairness” in the NHS, with the provision of free personal care for the elderly and free eye and dental checks.

On the subject of education, the Liberal Democrat leader also pledged to reduce class sizes, recruit another 21,000 teachers and scrap university tuition fees.

Mr Kennedy also unveiled plans to provide 10,000 extra police and 20,000 community support officers, under a package on law and order which he described as “tough, focused and smart”.

He also pledged to provide better pensions, promising £100 on the basic state pension for the over-75s, as well as the introduction of a Citizen’s Pension, based on residency, not National Insurance contributions.

Mr Kennedy also stressed that there would be “no hidden taxes”. He said: “We have only one tax raising measure – the one percent of people earning over £100,000 a year will pay a new top rate of tax – a marginal rate of 50p.”

Mr Kennedy said that this tax increase would fund the scrapping of tuition fees, free personal care for the elderly and reduction of local taxes. He said that the party’s other priorities would be funded by spending £5 billion per year of existing money differently – by scrapping the Child Trust Fund and the proposed identity card scheme and cutting “unnecessary” quangos, programmes and government department functions.

Mr Kennedy also pledged to scrap the “unfair” Council Tax and replace it with a Local Income Tax. He said: “Its overall burden will be less than the overall burden of the unfair Council Tax. In every local authority in Britain, people will collectively pay less than they do today under Council Tax. A typical household will be £450 better off.”

The Liberal Democrat leader also used the launch of the party’s manifesto to remind voters of the party’s “principled and consistent” opposition to the war in Iraq and criticise both Labour and the Conservatives. He said: “Many people will remember that the Conservatives lined up with Tony Blair and George Bush. The Liberal Democrats have been the real opposition – representing the views of millions of our fellow citizens.”

The party’s Deputy Leader, Sir Menzies Campbell, also stressed that Britain’s reputation had been “diminished” by the war in Iraq. He said: “Britain was taken to war against Iraq without express UN authority and on a flawed prospectus. The government built its case on unreliable intelligence, in circumstances of doubtful legality. This must never be allowed to happen again.”

Conservatives Party co-Chairman Dr Liam Fox said that a vote for the Liberal Democrats was a vote for higher taxes, soft sentences for criminals and uncontrolled immigration. He said: "If you vote for the Liberal Democrats, the message you'll be sending Mr Blair is simple: 'Carry on, please, you're doing just fine'."

The Liberal Democrats are the last of the main parties to launch their election manifesto. The party was due to announce the manifesto on Tuesday, but the launch was postponed when Mr Kennedy’s wife, Sarah, gave birth to their son, Donald James.

(KMcA/GB)