Barnet Borough Liberal Democrats

Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget.

The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers:

• The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold
• A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013
• 21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut
• Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550
• Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg used his speech to the Party's Spring conference in NewcastleGateshead to call for the forthcoming budget to be a "budget for fairness" and pledged that it would help working familes.

The Deputy Prime Minister pledged that by 2015 Britain would have seen an end to control orders, the first gay marriages and the first elections to the House of Lords.

Fairer taxes, promoting green jobs, protecting your civil liberties - these are just some of the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in government.

We're building a freer, greener and more liberal country - and stopping some of the worst excesses of the Conservatives. Find out more in this infographic.

Barnet Liberal Democrats have put forward an alternative Budget which proposes a freeze in Council Tax, protects front line services and reverses the Tories' increase in parking charges. Cllr Jack Cohen, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, says the ruling Conservatives are guilty of financial mismanagement on a massive scale. "Our Budget is a clear commitment to do things differently"

In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."

Councillor Jack Cohen, Leader of Barnet Liberal Democrats, called for the scrapping of the One Barnet Programme at tonight's full Council Meeting. Cllr Cohen accused the Barnet Tories of "wasting millions of tax payer money chasing an illusion driven by dogma. There is not a shred of evidence that the Tory plans to outsource and privatise all of its main services will work." Cllr Cohen also condemned the Conservative Council Administration for its gung ho approach to employee /employer relations: "what is becoming clear to me is that there is a sustained and systematic attempt by some leading Tories to denigrate Council Employees to justify getting rid of them"

Councillor Jack Cohen, Leader of Barnet Liberal Democrats, has discovered that the Council failed to implement an increase in the cost of parking permits and visitor vouchers two years ago, thereby losing at least £100,000. The increased charges should have come into force in April 2009.

In a question at this evening's full council meeting to Cabinet Member Brian Coleman, Cllr Cohen asks why the decision of the Cabinet Resources Committee (April 2009) to increase the charges was not implemented.

On 5th May you have a choice. You can keep the discredited First Past the Post system to elect our MPs, or you can choose a new and fairer system - Alternative Vote (AV). Back the campaign for change at www.YesToFairerVotes.org

AV is a small change that makes a big difference.

Saying YES! to Fairer Votes Means: