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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Lib Dems unveil anti-poverty plan | Lib Dems unveil anti-poverty plan |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Liberal Democrats have unveiled plans which they say would lift 5m people out of "relative poverty" and end Labour's "dependency culture". | The Liberal Democrats have unveiled plans which they say would lift 5m people out of "relative poverty" and end Labour's "dependency culture". |
| The party plans to introduce incentives for working, saving and studying. | The party plans to introduce incentives for working, saving and studying. |
| And it says it wants to remove higher earners from the Tax Credits system and cut the number claiming means-tested benefits by 10m by 2020. | And it says it wants to remove higher earners from the Tax Credits system and cut the number claiming means-tested benefits by 10m by 2020. |
| The plans tackle causes of inequality not symptoms, said children, schools and families spokesman David Laws. | |
| Labour's "spread of mass means-testing undermines incentives to work, save and even form stable families", he said. | Labour's "spread of mass means-testing undermines incentives to work, save and even form stable families", he said. |
| 'National disgrace' | 'National disgrace' |
| "Under Gordon Brown, Britain remains a society of massive inequalities of both income and opportunity. | "Under Gordon Brown, Britain remains a society of massive inequalities of both income and opportunity. |
| "It is a national disgrace that Britain is the developed country where your chances in life are most dependent on your family background rather than your own abilities and hard work." | "It is a national disgrace that Britain is the developed country where your chances in life are most dependent on your family background rather than your own abilities and hard work." |
| He also criticised the Conservatives under David Cameron for a "great leap backwards to the failed policies of Victorian Britain". | He also criticised the Conservatives under David Cameron for a "great leap backwards to the failed policies of Victorian Britain". |
| Mr Laws added: "The Liberal Democrat vision is of a society of genuine opportunity where instead of treating the symptoms of inequality, we treat its causes - poor educational opportunities, unemployment, bad housing and unstable families." | Mr Laws added: "The Liberal Democrat vision is of a society of genuine opportunity where instead of treating the symptoms of inequality, we treat its causes - poor educational opportunities, unemployment, bad housing and unstable families." |
| The anti-poverty proposals included a "pupil premium" where £1.5bn extra would be targeted at children with the greatest need from the poorest backgrounds. | The anti-poverty proposals included a "pupil premium" where £1.5bn extra would be targeted at children with the greatest need from the poorest backgrounds. |
| Tax credit reform | Tax credit reform |
| The Lib Dems also promised to reform tax credits, and raise Child Benefit by about £5 per family per week, which they said would take 150,000 children out of poverty | The Lib Dems also promised to reform tax credits, and raise Child Benefit by about £5 per family per week, which they said would take 150,000 children out of poverty |
| Job Centre Plus would be replaced with a new agency, called "First Steps", which the Lib Dems said would be a "single one-stop-shop for all benefit and tax credit claims". | Job Centre Plus would be replaced with a new agency, called "First Steps", which the Lib Dems said would be a "single one-stop-shop for all benefit and tax credit claims". |
| Other proposals were for employment support to be outsourced to the private and voluntary sector and a single working age benefit would also be introduced. | Other proposals were for employment support to be outsourced to the private and voluntary sector and a single working age benefit would also be introduced. |
| The Lib Dems would also immediately restore the earnings link to the basic state pension and eventually introduce a citizens' pension. | The Lib Dems would also immediately restore the earnings link to the basic state pension and eventually introduce a citizens' pension. |
| An Independent Commission on Public Sector Pensions would be established "to ensure that they are fair and affordable," the party said. | An Independent Commission on Public Sector Pensions would be established "to ensure that they are fair and affordable," the party said. |