The Liberal Democrats launched their general election strategy yesterday under the slogan The Real Opposition; amongst the raft of proposals are plans to raise the top rate of tax on every pound earned over £100,000.
Party leader Charles Kennedy outlined the key campaigning themes and policy pledges, declaring that it was the Liberal Democrats rather than the Conservatives who had challenged the Government on “so many issues.”
Kennedy referred to the policy to lift the top rate of tax for £100,000 earners as a ‘limited proposal’.
“That would affect just 1% of our wealthiest tax payers and raise enough money to pay for the abolition of top up and tuition fees, free personal care for the elderly and the transition from the hated council tax to a fairer local income tax,” he said.
Kennedy also talked of plans to cut classroom sizes and help parents with the provision of ‘more early years support’ and nursery school places.
On the political hot potato of pensions he vowed to create a Citizens Pension paid equally to men and women, with an end to ‘demeaning’ means testing and £100 a month on pensions for the over 75’s.
