Sarah Olney called on the government to stop planned tax cuts for big banks and invest money in a pay rise for carers and a mortgage protection scheme
Members of the Liberal Democrat Party are currently meeting in York for their spring conference, the party’s first in-person conference since 2019.
Throughout the weekend, the party will be debating its policies on a range of issues, including UK’s nuclear deterrent, the energy crisis and dental care.
The conference kicked off yesterday with leader of the party Ed Davey addressing the crowd in front of a blue door saying, ‘It’s time to show Sunak the door’.
The first address at the conference saw the party Treasury Spokesperson, Sarah Olney, call on the government to stop planned tax cuts for big banks and invest money in a pay rise for carers and a mortgage protection scheme for homeowners instead.
Responding to the Spring Budget, the Lib Dems said big banks are being handed a tax cut of £17.8 billion over the next five years by the Tory government and called on the Chancellor to cancel the tax cuts.
The party wants to see a £2 an hour pay rise given to carers, at a cost of £1 billion a year, which they said should be funded by the central Government.
The Liberal Democrats also proposed a £3 billion Mortgage Protection Fund to support homeowners affected by unaffordable mortgages.
By reversing Conservative tax cuts to the banking sector, the LibDems said up to £3.8 billion a year could pay for a pay rise for carers and a mortgage protection scheme.
In an interview with The Guardian earlier this week, Ed Davey said the Lib Dems will be looking to target Labour voters in “blue wall” swing seats ahead of the next election.
YouGov’s weekly poll of voting intention for The Times put the Lib Dems at 9 per cent, down one point – just above the Green Party and Reform Party who are currently sitting at 6 per cent each. Labour were on 46 per cent, with the Tories at 27 per cent.
Follow our full coverage of the Lib Dem spring conference throughout the weekend.
Hannah Davenport is trade union reporter at Left Foot Forward
(Photo credit: Lib Dems / Flickr)
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