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| Nick Clegg: parties must be clear on key issues as more coalitions likely | Nick Clegg: parties must be clear on key issues as more coalitions likely |
| (2 days later) | |
| Nick Clegg has served notice on the Liberal Democrats that they can expect to form part of coalition governments for years to come after he declared that the era of "slam-dunk" elections with a clear result were over. | Nick Clegg has served notice on the Liberal Democrats that they can expect to form part of coalition governments for years to come after he declared that the era of "slam-dunk" elections with a clear result were over. |
| The deputy prime minister said no pre-election coalition negotiations were under way and it was up to the electorate to decide on the composition of the next government. | The deputy prime minister said no pre-election coalition negotiations were under way and it was up to the electorate to decide on the composition of the next government. |
| But Clegg appeared to show a preference for the Tories when he said that their plans would merely lead to the "wrong" economic recovery, in contrast to the Labour party which would "wreck" the recovery. | But Clegg appeared to show a preference for the Tories when he said that their plans would merely lead to the "wrong" economic recovery, in contrast to the Labour party which would "wreck" the recovery. |
| In a sign that he has abandoned the strategy of equidistance between the two main parties, championed by his mentor Lord Ashdown, Clegg told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1: "Labour would wreck the recovery. Under the Conservatives, who don't have the same commitment to fairness as we do, you would get the wrong kind of recovery." | In a sign that he has abandoned the strategy of equidistance between the two main parties, championed by his mentor Lord Ashdown, Clegg told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1: "Labour would wreck the recovery. Under the Conservatives, who don't have the same commitment to fairness as we do, you would get the wrong kind of recovery." |
| The deputy prime minister was speaking on the second day of the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow, where he is facing a rough ride on the economy. Clegg is taking the rare step for a party leader of summing up a debate on the economy on Monday as he seeks to tone down amendments from the left of the party that could raise questions about the party's commitment to the coalition's deficit-reduction plan. | The deputy prime minister was speaking on the second day of the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow, where he is facing a rough ride on the economy. Clegg is taking the rare step for a party leader of summing up a debate on the economy on Monday as he seeks to tone down amendments from the left of the party that could raise questions about the party's commitment to the coalition's deficit-reduction plan. |
| Clegg reached out to the left – and signalled his plans for post-election coalition negotiations – when he said the Lib Dems would demand an increase in the tax-free personal allowance to £12,500, exempting workers on the minimum wage from income tax. This would be a "die in the trench" issue for the party, he said. | Clegg reached out to the left – and signalled his plans for post-election coalition negotiations – when he said the Lib Dems would demand an increase in the tax-free personal allowance to £12,500, exempting workers on the minimum wage from income tax. This would be a "die in the trench" issue for the party, he said. |
| The move would mean that anyone aged over 21 who earns £6.19 an hour on the minimum wage, or around £12,500 a year for a full-time worker, would pay no income tax. The tax-free allowance could rise to around £14,000 a year if Vince Cable succeeds in his campaign to ensure that the minimum wage, which has lost 10-12% of its anticipated value in real terms since the crash, recovers lost ground. | The move would mean that anyone aged over 21 who earns £6.19 an hour on the minimum wage, or around £12,500 a year for a full-time worker, would pay no income tax. The tax-free allowance could rise to around £14,000 a year if Vince Cable succeeds in his campaign to ensure that the minimum wage, which has lost 10-12% of its anticipated value in real terms since the crash, recovers lost ground. |
| Clegg declined to list the make-or-break policies he would table during coalition negotiations. But he indicated that raising the tax-free personal allowance to £12,500 would feature high on any list. | Clegg declined to list the make-or-break policies he would table during coalition negotiations. But he indicated that raising the tax-free personal allowance to £12,500 would feature high on any list. |
| He said: "I am proud of the fact that I run a democratic party, where I don't just decree that this or that policy will be a die-in-the-trench-type policy. But I can give you a clue. I strongly suspect, given that we have put so much effort and indeed so much money into making the tax system fairer, tax fairness will of course be one of the signature tunes for the Liberal Democrats. | He said: "I am proud of the fact that I run a democratic party, where I don't just decree that this or that policy will be a die-in-the-trench-type policy. But I can give you a clue. I strongly suspect, given that we have put so much effort and indeed so much money into making the tax system fairer, tax fairness will of course be one of the signature tunes for the Liberal Democrats. |
| "We are committed as a party, and I am very committed to this, to raising the allowance further such that you pay no income tax equivalent to the minimum wage. So everybody on the minimum wage pays no income tax." | "We are committed as a party, and I am very committed to this, to raising the allowance further such that you pay no income tax equivalent to the minimum wage. So everybody on the minimum wage pays no income tax." |
| Clegg said he was not entering into coalition negotiations with the other parties. But he made clear that the Lib Dems were giving a great deal of thought to post-election coalition negotiations. | Clegg said he was not entering into coalition negotiations with the other parties. But he made clear that the Lib Dems were giving a great deal of thought to post-election coalition negotiations. |
| He said: "It is more likely than not that in the future you are going to get more coalitions; it is less likely that you are going to get these slam-dunk results, where one of the other two major parties always get a majority. I think it is incumbent on all political parties to be up front with the British people, as we were last time, about those issues which we will really die in the trench for and those which will clearly depend on political and economic circumstances." | He said: "It is more likely than not that in the future you are going to get more coalitions; it is less likely that you are going to get these slam-dunk results, where one of the other two major parties always get a majority. I think it is incumbent on all political parties to be up front with the British people, as we were last time, about those issues which we will really die in the trench for and those which will clearly depend on political and economic circumstances." |
| The Lib Dem leadership wants the party conference in Glasgow to mark the start of a concerted campaign in which the party spells out its differences with the Conservatives. Clegg said the Tories would create the "wrong" recovery because they would jeopardise millions of jobs by risking Britain's exit from the European single market, they would resuscitate ideas to allow employers to fire at will, they did not care as much as the Lib Dems about boosting manufacturing, and a small Conservative majority would lead to "ideological cuts". | The Lib Dem leadership wants the party conference in Glasgow to mark the start of a concerted campaign in which the party spells out its differences with the Conservatives. Clegg said the Tories would create the "wrong" recovery because they would jeopardise millions of jobs by risking Britain's exit from the European single market, they would resuscitate ideas to allow employers to fire at will, they did not care as much as the Lib Dems about boosting manufacturing, and a small Conservative majority would lead to "ideological cuts". |
| Clegg also highlighted differences with the Tories on immigration. He said Theresa May would have to change her plans for a £3,000 bond for visitors to Britain from some countries. | Clegg also highlighted differences with the Tories on immigration. He said Theresa May would have to change her plans for a £3,000 bond for visitors to Britain from some countries. |
| "I am absolutely not interested in a bond which does become an indiscriminate way of clobbering people who want to come to this country and in many respects bring great prosperity and benefits to this country." | "I am absolutely not interested in a bond which does become an indiscriminate way of clobbering people who want to come to this country and in many respects bring great prosperity and benefits to this country." |
| The deputy prime minister said he would ensure that vans introduced by the Home Office displaying adverts calling on illegal immigrants to leave the country would be stopped. "I thought they were a very silly idea. You don't inspire public confidence by aimlessly drifting around in vans in north London saying: 'By the way, can you please go home please'." | The deputy prime minister said he would ensure that vans introduced by the Home Office displaying adverts calling on illegal immigrants to leave the country would be stopped. "I thought they were a very silly idea. You don't inspire public confidence by aimlessly drifting around in vans in north London saying: 'By the way, can you please go home please'." |
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