Euro-MP says three Party politics is here to stay

12.26.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 24th Sep 2004

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne was among many delegates from the West Midlands who attended the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth this week.

The Liberal Democrat MEP chaired important meetings on the future of agriculture and the Liberal Democrat Disability Association.

Speaking following the Charles Kennedy's speech at the conference Liz Lynne MEP said that she had never been to a conference where the mood in the party was as positive.

"There is a real feeling that we are on the verge of something big. Already we have the largest ever Liberal Democrat parliamentary party elected to the European Parliament, the largest third party representation in the House of Commons since the 1920's and we run councils across the country.

"Three party politics has arrived and it is here to stay. With the Labour Party having lost the trust of the public over tuition fees, council tax, pensions and Iraq, the Liberal Democrats have shown we are the only party that can be trusted on these issues.

"The mood amongst delegates was as positive as I can ever remember and we are on course for a very exciting election whenever Tony Blair decides to go to the country. I very much doubt the mood in Bournemouth will be just as positive when Michael Howard arrives there in a couple of weeks."

ENDS

Notes To Editors

Our key policies outlined in the pre manifesto document debated at conference are:

1. Scrapping tuition and top-up fees for students.

2. Introducing free personal care for elderly and disabled people.

3. Replacing Council Tax with a Local Income Tax.

4. £25 more on the pension every week for those over 75

5. Free off peak local transport

6. Cutting pollution, congestion and boosting renewable energy

7. Freeing doctors and nurses from Whitehall meddling

We will pay for our proposals partly from introducing a new 50% rate on very high individual income in so far as it exceeds £100,000 a year.

We will also raise money by switching around £5 billion from lower priority programmes to our priorities.