Lib Dems 'declare war on inequality'
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 12:00 AM
The Liberal Democrats claim they can lift five million children out of relative poverty by 2020.
Delegates at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton approved the party's poverty and inequality policy paper, which advocates education and employment opportunities with incentives to work and save.
Introducing Freedom from Poverty, Opportunity for All, Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman Danny Alexander said the Labour government had fostered a society with massive inequalities in income and opportunity.
However, he attacked Gordon Brown's strategy for relieving poverty as a "blueprint for a state of dependency".
Liberal Democrats agreed on targets for getting two million more people into employment by 2020, aided by a switch away from means-tested benefits.
Mr Alexander said: "Our radical new agenda rejects Gordon Brown's blueprint for a state of dependency, where the spread of mass means-testing undermines incentives to work, save and even form stable families.
"Labour has failed to provide real opportunity for the most disadvantaged. Britain is becoming divided into two nations. With these policies, the Liberal Democrats are declaring war on inequality."
Liberal Democrats agreed to reform the Tax Credits system, which has been blighted by over-payments and complications.
They also said job centres were "failing" and local charities and companies should be used to find people work.
New workers should also continue to receive benefits for two weeks after starting work. The Lib Dems reaffirmed a commitment to spending on mental health to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit.
Delegates also approved the much-previewed "pupil premium" scheme, which will allocate extra funding for the most disadvantaged pupils.
Schools and families spokesman David Laws said: "Our aspiration is that the most deprived pupils have the same financial backing as those privileged enough to go to private school."
The Liberal Democrats also argued for extra funds to train early years teachers.
In addition, the paper contains proposals for a million more affordable homes by 2020.
Councils should be allowed to sell off properties on large estates and use the proceeds to reinvest in social housing. Tenants should then be placed on introductory tenancies to discourage anti-social behaviour.
The Liberal Democrats looked beyond deprived inner cities and promised to "rural proof" all anti-poverty policies. Rural services such as the Post Office network must be protected, they said.
While focusing on poverty, the Liberal Democrats have refused to echo David Cameron's claims of a "broken society". Addressing the conference on Monday, Menzies Campbell said he retained an optimistic view of Britain.
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