2010 press releases

20th Aug: Lewes MP hails Lib Dem achievements in government

Local MP Norman Baker has today hailed the Lib Dems' role in the coalition government, welcoming the fact that in less than three months in office, the party has been able to deliver progress on several of its key manifesto commitments, including:

• Fairer taxes: the government has taken a huge step towards the Lib Dem goal of ensuring nobody pays income tax on the first £10,000 they earn by raising the income tax threshold by £1,000 and pledging to increase this each year during the current parliament.
• Reforming the banking system: the government has agreed to reform the banking system to ensure that banks lend to viable British businesses.
• The government has agreed to restore the earnings link to pensions, as the Lib Dems had pledged to do.
• A more liberal society: the government has adopted many of the Lib Dems' pledges to restore the civil liberties eroded under Labour, such as scrapping the unwanted ID card scheme and the repeal of unnecessary and unpopular laws.
• A fair start for children: in their manifesto, the Lib Dems promised to spend more on pupil premiums for disadvantaged children, a pledge that the coalition government has agreed to meet.
• Political reform: the government has announced that a referendum on reforming the electoral system, as proposed by the Lib Dems, will be held next year.
• The government has already agreed to implement fixed term parliaments, with elections held every five years.
• The government has also adopted various policies proposed by the Lib Dems which will help Britain to become a more environmentally friendly place, such as the creation of a high speed rail network, and measures to improve energy efficiency in homes and businesses.

Lib Dem ministers, including Transport Minister Norman Baker, are also playing a key role in helping to develop a more sustainable society. In less than three months in office, Norman Baker has begun to reform the transport system by pledging greater funding for car clubs and green buses, as well as many other initiatives.

Norman Baker commented:

"I am pleased to have been part of a government which has achieved so much in such a short space of time. I believe that the Lib Dems ought to be very pleased with the huge influence we have had over setting the agenda for the government.

"We have begun to reverse Labour's erosion of our civil liberties, and have already started to make the tax system fairer, as well as introducing the political reforms that our broken system so badly needs.

"There is still a great deal of work ahead, but having achieved so much in less than three months of government, it is clear that the Lib Dems are playing a key role in making Britain a fairer, greener and more liberal society."

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