North West Hampshire Liberal Democrats begin General Election fight.

10.40.39pm GMT Fri 21st Jan 2005

Charles Kennedy and Martin Tod

Speaking at a meeting of Liberal Democrats in Whitchurch Town Hall, Martin Tod, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Campaigner for North West Hampshire, welcomed Charles Kennedy's launch of the Liberal Democrat General Election campaign on the previous day.

Martin Tod said "On many of the most important issues, such as Iraq, ID cards and the Council Tax, the Conservatives and Sir George Young have totally failed to oppose Labour. We have already shown that Liberal Democrats are a more effective opposition than the official Opposition. The priorities laid out by Charles Kennedy now show that we can be a better Government than the current Labour Government."

Under the slogan of 'The Real Opposition', Mr. Kennedy has outlined the Liberal Democrats key campaigning themes and policy pledges.

Charles Kennedy said "The truth is that the majority of people in this country now see the Liberal Democrats as the real opposition. They don't believe we should limit our ambitions. And I want to tell you that there is no limit to our ambitions."

Mr Kennedy has outlined his Party's priorities for the General Election as follows:

• A quality local health service - putting patients first and freeing doctors and nurses from Whitehall meddling so they can get on with giving patients the first class attention they deserve.

• Equipping children to make the best of their lives and get the best out of their education by cutting class sizes and making sure teachers get the time to teach.

• Helping parents too - to give their children the best start. We would provide more early years support and nursery school places.

• An end to the unfair Council Tax - local tax should be based on the ability to pay.

• A Citizens Pension paid equally to men and women, with an end to demeaning means testing and £100 a month on pensions for the over 75's.

• Free personal care for the elderly.

• An end to university top-up and tuition fees - because access to university should be based on ability to learn not on what they can afford to pay.

• A tough liberal approach to crime - 10,000 more police on the streets, cutting re-offending rates, getting to grips with the causes of crime.

• Underpinning all of these and at the core of our thinking, we want Britain living up to its responsibilities on the international

stage and on the environment.