LOCAL MEP BACKS LIBDEM FAIRNESS AND TAX CUTS PLAN

7.00.00pm GMT Mon 15th Sep 2008

Local LibDem Euro MP Liz Lynne has spoken out to back Nick Clegg's new

LibDem strategy to tackle the root causes of unfairness in British

society, with tax cuts for low and medium earners.

The controversial plan at the heart of Nick Clegg's new strategy document

'Make It Happen' was the subject of a closely argued debate at the party

conference in Bournemouth today.

The policy document was endorsed by conference by a big majority, but only

after a passionate debate about how the party would take forward it's

commitment for social justice - with key commitments like restoring the

earnings link for the basic pension - hand in hand with a commitment to

cut taxes from the bottom up.

The plans would be funded by £20 billion of savings from Labour's budget

plans, including scrapping ID cards, scrapping the Child Trust fund and

scaling back the Eurofighter programme.

Speaking in Bournemouth today, Liz Lynne MEP said: "The arithmetic in Nick

Clegg's document does make sense. Make it Happen is a very carefully

written document.

"I am backing these proposals because there are cast iron commitments to

policies we need such as uprating pensions in line with earnings, a

fundamental assault on poverty and a comprehensive green investment plan

to transform our railways. And more police for local police forces.

"But as Simon Hughes said: fighting poverty and inequality does mean that

we have to make it a priority to cut taxes on the low paid, on hardpressed

families facing tax and debt hikes without end. It can be done.

"This does mark a shift in LibDems headline stance but I support it,

because the context has changed since 1997 or even 2005. In 1997, total

public spending was £300 billion annually and the public services were

facing an abyss. Now, it is over £600 billion and it is time to take

stock. We have needed the big rises in health and education spending - we

campaigned for them, but we did not campaign for the wasteful way Labour

is spending a lot of our taxpayers money.

"Labour wants to spend billions on an ID card system which we all know

would not work. There are many other savings that Vince Cable is

identifying cuts in bureaucracy and red tape and the 'target' culture.

"The 'Make it Happen' document ringfences our key commitments - identifies

some key new priorities we do need to invest in but also says that where

further savings can be made, it is time to cut taxes on the less well off,

starting at the bottom."

"This is only right. Labour can't deliver, the Tories won't, but the

Libdems can make it happen for pensioners, for the environment, for

people who are being hit by massive Council Tax and income tax bills who

are not well off."