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Turn to us in crisis, says Clegg Clegg vows to build 'new order'
(about 2 hours later)
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg will claim the recession gives his party the chance to seize the initiative from Labour and the Conservatives. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said the recession offers the chance to build a new economic order.
In his closing speech to the party's spring conference in Harrogate, he will say Labour is "spent" and the Tories can "never be the party of change". In his closing speech to the party's spring conference in Harrogate, he said Labour is "spent" and the Tories can "never be the party of change".
And he will urge voters to look to the Lib Dems to steer them through. He urged voters to turn to the Lib Dems for help in the recession and the long term vision to rebuild after it.
The "one dim light" in a crisis is that it "opens the door to a genuinely new way of doing things," he will say. The "one dim light" in a crisis is that it "opens the door to a genuinely new way of doing things," he said.
Mr Clegg has used the two-day conference to paint Labour and the Tories as the joint architects of economic meltdown, by their actions over the past 25 years. Mr Clegg has used the two-day conference to paint Labour and the Tories as the joint architects of the economic meltdown, by their actions over the past 30 years.
And he portrayed his party as the one with a radically different solution to the country's economic woes. And he has tried to portray his party as the one with a radically different solution to the country's economic woes.
Aides said Mr Clegg was planning a serious and sober speech concentrating on action now to help families through the recession and a longer-term vision for rebuilding the economy. In his keynote speech, Mr Clegg shunned jokes and the usual political "knockabout" and focused on immediate action to help families through the recession and a longer-term vision for rebuilding the economy.
"We will not promise just to rebuild what we had before. We will promise to build it anew, and build it better," he told delegates in Harrogate.
VAT 'pinprick'VAT 'pinprick'
He will set set out Lib Dem plans to scrap the £12.5bn VAT cut, which he describes as a "pinprick", and invest the cash in green initiatives he claims will create thousands of jobs. He set out Lib Dem plans to scrap the £12.5bn VAT cut, which he describes as a "pinprick", and invest the cash in green initiatives he claims will create thousands of jobs.
We carry the torch of progress now, we exist to keep the flame of hope alive Nick Clegg, Lib Dem leader Clegg offers tea and sympathyWe carry the torch of progress now, we exist to keep the flame of hope alive Nick Clegg, Lib Dem leader Clegg offers tea and sympathy
And he will reiterate the party's commitment to tax cuts for low and middle income workers, paid for by closing tax loopholes and changes to capital gains tax and pension relief for high earners. He also reiterated the party's commitment to tax cuts for low and middle income workers, paid for by closing tax loopholes and changes to capital gains tax and pension relief for high earners.
He will say: "Let's change taxes so millionaires don't pay less tax on their capital gains than their cleaner do on their income." He said: "Let's change taxes so millionaires don't pay less tax on their capital gains than their cleaner do on their income."
He will also talk of the need to take control of the nationalised banks to get them lending again and to ensure that when they are finally returned to the private sector it is under a different system. He also spoke of the need to take control of the nationalised banks to get them lending again and to ensure that when they are finally returned to the private sector it is under a different system.
"I want a return to old high-street style banks so people's savings are protected from the big risks of investment banking," he will tell delegates. "I want a return to old high-street style banks so people's savings are protected from the big risks of investment banking," he told delegates.
Criticising Labour's response to the recession, Mr Clegg will say: "The government has borrowed £12.5bn to finance this year's pinprick VAT give-away. He urged an end to short-term bonuses and vowed "those who are responsible for this crisis should be brought to account," saying bankers who steered institutions to ruin should be disqualified from sitting on company boards.
"That's more than £350 every second of every minute of every hour. That money alone could have created nearly 100,000 new jobs, and laid the foundations, quite literally, for a new green economy."
'Spent match''Spent match'
He will go on to insist the "flame" of progress no longer burns for Labour, and that the Lib Dems are the only party capable of rebuilding the country. He insisted the "flame" of progress no longer burned for Labour, and that the Lib Dems are the only party capable of rebuilding the country.
"Labour is like a spent match - there's nothing left," he will say. "Labour is like a spent match - there's nothing left," he said.
"You remember how hopeful people felt in 1997, remember the promise of a better future? Don't you feel the disappointment?"You remember how hopeful people felt in 1997, remember the promise of a better future? Don't you feel the disappointment?
"An economy in tatters, a country more unequal than before, an illegal war, our government implicated in torture and rendition, our environment poisoned, our privacy invaded, our freedom curtailed."An economy in tatters, a country more unequal than before, an illegal war, our government implicated in torture and rendition, our environment poisoned, our privacy invaded, our freedom curtailed.
"If you believe, like I do, in progress, if you feel let down by Labour, and see that the Conservatives will never be a party of change, turn to the Liberal Democrats."If you believe, like I do, in progress, if you feel let down by Labour, and see that the Conservatives will never be a party of change, turn to the Liberal Democrats.
"We carry the torch of progress now, we exist to keep the flame of hope alive.""We carry the torch of progress now, we exist to keep the flame of hope alive."
On Saturday, Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable mounted his most outspoken attack yet on "fat cat" salaries in the public as well as the private sector, calling for full public disclosure of all packages over £194,000 - the prime minister's annual pay.On Saturday, Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable mounted his most outspoken attack yet on "fat cat" salaries in the public as well as the private sector, calling for full public disclosure of all packages over £194,000 - the prime minister's annual pay.