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Clegg vows to build 'new order' Turn to us in crisis, says Clegg
(30 minutes later)
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has said the recession offers the chance to build a new economic order. Only the Lib Dems offer an alternative vision for the future of Britain post-recession, leader Nick Clegg has said.
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". In a closing conference speech, he said the "one dim light" in the current crisis was that it "opens the door to a genuinely new way of doing things".
He urged voters to turn to the Lib Dems for help in the recession and the long term vision to rebuild after it. But that would not come from the "cycle of red-blue, blue-red government has got us into this mess".
The "one dim light" in a crisis is that it "opens the door to a genuinely new way of doing things," he said. And it was the Lib Dems who now carried the "torch of progress," he told delegates in Harrogate.
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. Mr Clegg has used the two-day spring 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 has tried to portray 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.
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. In his 40 minute keynote speech, Mr Clegg shunned jokes and the usual political "knockabout" and focused on help for families to beat 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."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 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. The speech did not include any new economic policy announcements, but Mr Clegg repeated the party's 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
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 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 said: "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 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.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 told 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.
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.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.
'Spent match''Spent match'
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. He rounded on the Conservatives accusing them of wanting to cut public spending which he said would be "economic madness".
And 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 said."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. He ended by saying: "A never-ending cycle of red-blue, blue-red government has got us into this mess - it is never going to get us out. Try something new."