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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Clegg in call for fairer Britain | Clegg in call for fairer Britain |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| The Liberal Democrats are the only party which can make Britain fairer, leader Nick Clegg has told supporters in his first full conference speech. | The Liberal Democrats are the only party which can make Britain fairer, leader Nick Clegg has told supporters in his first full conference speech. |
| He set out his vision for the future of the country, saying Labour was "finished" and the Conservatives a "say everything, do nothing" party. | He set out his vision for the future of the country, saying Labour was "finished" and the Conservatives a "say everything, do nothing" party. |
| Mr Clegg called ministers "complacent" about growing hardship and emphasised his party's pledge to cut income tax. | Mr Clegg called ministers "complacent" about growing hardship and emphasised his party's pledge to cut income tax. |
| He also said his party was heading towards government. | He also said his party was heading towards government. |
| 'Zombie government' | 'Zombie government' |
| Mr Clegg, who took over as leader in December last year, made a pitch for both Labour and Conservative voters at the end of a week in which his party backed a significant change in direction over taxes. | Mr Clegg, who took over as leader in December last year, made a pitch for both Labour and Conservative voters at the end of a week in which his party backed a significant change in direction over taxes. |
| Labour offers nothing. They are so desperate to protect their own jobs, they can't be bothered to protect other people's Nick Clegg class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7620634.stm">Clegg unscathed after big test | |
| He said the government was "finished", and that discontent within Labour over the party's direction and Gordon Brown's leadership was growing. | He said the government was "finished", and that discontent within Labour over the party's direction and Gordon Brown's leadership was growing. |
| "Labour offers nothing," he said, to applause from Lib Dem members. "They are so desperate to protect their own jobs, they can't be bothered to protect other people's." | "Labour offers nothing," he said, to applause from Lib Dem members. "They are so desperate to protect their own jobs, they can't be bothered to protect other people's." |
| "They are a zombie government." | "They are a zombie government." |
| Mr Clegg also turned his fire on David Cameron, accusing the Tory leader of a "born-to-rule conceit" and his party of not being able to come up with any concrete policies. | Mr Clegg also turned his fire on David Cameron, accusing the Tory leader of a "born-to-rule conceit" and his party of not being able to come up with any concrete policies. |
| 'Progressive' | 'Progressive' |
| The goal of offering "big" tax cuts for struggling families at the next election marked the Lib Dems out as the only party committed to social justice, he argued. | The goal of offering "big" tax cuts for struggling families at the next election marked the Lib Dems out as the only party committed to social justice, he argued. |
| The Lib Dems have promised to reduce the overall tax burden for nine out of 10 families, describing their plan as the most "progressive and redistributive" ever put forward by a British party. | The Lib Dems have promised to reduce the overall tax burden for nine out of 10 families, describing their plan as the most "progressive and redistributive" ever put forward by a British party. |
| "I will never support the Tory idea that you cut taxes for millionaires and the benefits somehow trickle down," he said. | "I will never support the Tory idea that you cut taxes for millionaires and the benefits somehow trickle down," he said. |
| "That is not what struggling families need. They need their money back." | "That is not what struggling families need. They need their money back." |
| On wider economic issues, he called for tougher regulation of the banking system, saying a "firestorm" was spreading through the financial sector, and for measures to prevent people having their homes repossessed. | On wider economic issues, he called for tougher regulation of the banking system, saying a "firestorm" was spreading through the financial sector, and for measures to prevent people having their homes repossessed. |
| He called on increased investment in alternative sources of energy as the backbone of a "new, green economy" and reiterated the party's opposition to new nuclear and coal-fired power stations. | He called on increased investment in alternative sources of energy as the backbone of a "new, green economy" and reiterated the party's opposition to new nuclear and coal-fired power stations. |
| Turning to the public services, he called for billions to be spent on improving educational opportunities for the most disadvantaged and for patients to have more control over the care they receive. | Turning to the public services, he called for billions to be spent on improving educational opportunities for the most disadvantaged and for patients to have more control over the care they receive. |
| The truth is Lib Dem sums don't add up. They offer a menu without prices Angela Eagle, Labour | The truth is Lib Dem sums don't add up. They offer a menu without prices Angela Eagle, Labour |
| Opposition parties criticised the Lib Dems' tax policy, to be partly funded by billions of pounds in efficiency savings in public spending, as unclear and unrealistic. | Opposition parties criticised the Lib Dems' tax policy, to be partly funded by billions of pounds in efficiency savings in public spending, as unclear and unrealistic. |
| Labour said Mr Clegg was "out of touch" with ordinary people after he forced onto the defensive on the eve of his first major party conference speech when he mistakenly said that the weekly state pension was "about 30 quid", a third of its actual value. | Labour said Mr Clegg was "out of touch" with ordinary people after he forced onto the defensive on the eve of his first major party conference speech when he mistakenly said that the weekly state pension was "about 30 quid", a third of its actual value. |
| Treasury Minister Angela Eagle said: "The truth is Lib Dem sums don't add up. They offer a menu without prices." | Treasury Minister Angela Eagle said: "The truth is Lib Dem sums don't add up. They offer a menu without prices." |
| Electoral pressure | Electoral pressure |
| The Lib Dems have campaigned at recent elections on tax-raising pledges. | The Lib Dems have campaigned at recent elections on tax-raising pledges. |
| The shift in direction has been interpreted by many as a move to help the party fight the resurgent Conservatives in marginal seats in the south of England. | The shift in direction has been interpreted by many as a move to help the party fight the resurgent Conservatives in marginal seats in the south of England. |
| Despite opposition from some MPs to the move, Lib Dem members overwhelmingly backed the proposals earlier in the week. | Despite opposition from some MPs to the move, Lib Dem members overwhelmingly backed the proposals earlier in the week. |
| Later on, the party will phone 250,000 people in marginal seats to get feedback on his key policy promises. | Later on, the party will phone 250,000 people in marginal seats to get feedback on his key policy promises. |
| The poll is based on techniques used by the Democratic Party in the United States. | The poll is based on techniques used by the Democratic Party in the United States. |