Lib Dem manifesto pledges would be big boost for Portsmouth - MP

15/09/2004

Mike Hancock, MP (Lib Dem - Portsmouth South) has hailed the Liberal Democrat manifesto pledges launched today by Charles Kennedy saying that they would mean a big boost for the people of Portsmouth if implemented.

Mike Hancock said “Above all these pledges are about fairness. I am finding a real feeling of anger and resentment at the Labour Government on the doorstep from more and more people in Portsmouth. Young people don’t understand why they will have to pay up £9000 in university fees. People don’t understand why they can’t have a local tax related to their ability to pay as national tax is. And older people don’t understand why they can’t have free personal care. They also don’t understand why they can’t have a decent state pension without lots of demeaning form filling. Many people thought that a Labour government would be on the side of ordinary people but they are increasingly finding that it isn’t. The increasing number of Labour backbench rebellions in the Commons show that many Labour MPs don’t understand where Tony Blair is taking the party but they fear that it is away from the ideals that they joined the Labour Party for.”

He added: “People are not turning to the Conservatives because they know that a Tory party led by a former minister in Thatcher’s Government will once again attack the public services like schools, hospitals and police that they want to see invested in. So it is not surprising that the Lib Dems have gained ten points in the opinion polls and are winning by-elections from Brent to Leicester while the Conservatives “flatline” and Labour slump.”

The “Top Ten” Liberal Democrat Manifesto pledges are:

Put patients first - Free doctors and nurses from Whitehall meddling

Free personal care when you need it - No one forced to sell their home to pay for care

No tuition fees, no top-up fees - University affordable for every student

More investment in children's early years - Spend the £1 billion Child Trust Fund when it matters most

10,000 more police on the streets - Cutting crime and the fear of crime

£25 more on the pension every week at 75 - A million pensioners off means testing

Free off-peak local transport - for all pensioners and disabled people

Axe the Council Tax - Local Income Tax is both fair and affordable

We should not have gone to war in Iraq - It' time to restore trust in the Government

Take the environment seriously - Cut pollution, cut congestion, boost renewable energy

More details of the Lib Dem pre-manifesto pledges can be found at their national website at www.libdems.org.uk