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Lib Dems unveil anti-poverty plan | Lib Dems unveil anti-poverty plan |
(about 6 hours later) | |
The Liberal Democrats have unveiled plans which they say would lift five million people out of "relative poverty" and end "dependency culture". | |
The party plans to introduce incentives for working, saving and studying. | The party plans to introduce incentives for working, saving and studying. |
It also says it wants to remove higher earners from the Tax Credits system and cut the number claiming means-tested benefits by 10 million by 2020. | |
The party promised to tackle "causes", rather than "symptoms", of the UK's "massive inequalities". | |
Labour's "spread of mass means-testing undermines incentives to work, save and even form stable families", Lib Dem children, schools and families spokesman David Laws 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." | |
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". | |
Other proposals are for employment support to be outsourced to the private and voluntary sectors and for a single working-age benefit to be introduced. | |
The Lib Dems say they 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 added. |