Nick Clegg is to make his first major intervention of the election campaign this afternoon in a speech at the National Liberal Club.
The former Deputy Prime Minister will criticise Theresa May for her pursuit of a hard Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn for his inept opposition.
He will point to analysis showing the average UK household is set to be £500 worse off this year than it was in 2016, and stress that only the Liberal Democrats are capable of providing this Conservative government with the opposition the country desperately needs.
He is expected to say:
My argument today is simple: Our country cannot thrive without a strong economy. We can’t have a strong economy and a hard Brexit.
Theresa May alone is responsible for pursuing this course. It is already hurting the very people who need most help in society. So the question in this election is this: who will hold Theresa May accountable for the economic harm she will inflict on Britain?
Judging by the reports of last week’s lunch between Jean-Claude Junker and the Prime Minister, the Conservatives are once again proving to be as incompetent in doing the right thing for the country as they are ruthless in chasing votes.
The economic damage is already being felt by the people who the Tories have always cared about least: the poor, the insecure and the vulnerable.
If Theresa May really cared about the Just About Managing, the very last thing she should do is impose a hard Brexit on them.
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8 Comments
As someone who has known what it is to be , not managing at all, let alone, just about managing, I , despite a much less enthusiastic attitude to the reporting of the meeting, and far greater scepticism of the EU leaders than, our former deputy pm, I welcome the stance.
Could we have some policy announcements please !!!
As usual we are being let down by our leaders. That is why we are stuck in the polls and their previous record is why we have just 9 MPs and the poor poll ratings to start with.
Here we go again, then. It is a pity that Nick Clegg hasn’t had time to read LDV here: https://www.libdemvoice.org/that-mayjuncker-dinner-leak-what-does-it-all-mean-and-what-has-tim-farron-been-saying-about-it-54126.html#comment-438567
I commend the contributions of Cllr Mark Wright and Paul Murray on the subject of the Junker leaks. If Putin intervened in the US elections, what is this from Junker?!
It is evident that in the period leading up to June last year the Euro was undervalued and the £ overvalued. The economy was in stagnation. The depreciation of the £ under the direction of the Gov of the Bank of England gave the economy a real philip. As a result government borrowing is well under target and tax revenues higher. That means the just managing may have been slightly better off rather than worse off.
Again, why has this been the slowest recovery in British history? Because of our economic policies 2010 – 2015. Why have those relying on benefits been badly hit? Because of Coalition welfare policies 2010 -15.
We know who is to blame for that.
Bill le Breton is right when he says, “We know who is to blame for that.”. Independent analysis by the Nuffield Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found, and I quote directly,
1. Despite a promise that the better off would carry the burden of austerity, changes to direct taxes, benefits and tax credits affected the poorer groups most. Poverty increased to 2014/15.
2. Spending per child on early education, childcare and Sure Start fell by a quarter between 2010 and 2013 and tax benefit reforms hit families with children under five than any other household type. Provision for adult social care users fell by 7% during 2013/14 alone.
3. Between 2010 and 2015 local government funding fell by 33%.
This is skimming the surface. There is much more. The full report ” The Coalition’s Social Policy Record : Policy Record : Policy Spending and Outcomes 2010-15″ can be found on line at this link :
The Coalition’s Social Policy Record 2010-2015 – Nuffield Foundation
http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/RR04_SUMMARY.pdf
4 Jan 2015
It’s no coincidence the Foodbank of which I am a Trustee started in 2012.
I’m afraid the headline “Clegg: Poor, insecure and vulnerable already paying price” will bring hollow laughs from those who know this subject. As a lifelong Liberal/Liberal Democrat I’m afraid it grieves me to say that Mr Clegg is not the best person for this sort of message. If the party is to have a future then it needs to address these deep policy issues. It is much much bigger than the Brexit fiasco.
It’s not all bad news, although Clegg never seems to inform us of the good:
U.K. manufacturing unexpectedly grew at the fastest pace in three years in April as the domestic market strengthened and the pound’s depreciation boosted exports.
Manufacturing was growing because Brexit does not even happen yet. British strong industries are not tariff-free (only few tariff-free industries according to
I mean, according to WTO, they are electronic and ICT manufacturing, where Britain does not really have competitive advantage.
Besides, the costs for manufacturers would rise soon. You know, the car industry imports 60% of its component inputs, mainly from EU. But being excluded from research cooperation would be worse, especially for science-based sectors like life sciences and space.
However, Brexiteers does not know about these facts.
Clegg gave a speech in Westminster shortly after the vote where he reminded the House that (something along the lines of) the young will live with decision and note that places like London, Scotland and NI voted against Brexit. He completely managed to forget Wales though despite Cardiff and other areas voting for remain and that only one Lib Dem currently holds political office and that’s in Wales. I’m not sure he’s the best person to talk about the poor and vulnerable with regards to Brexit considering him forgetting Wales in such a crucial time and the unfortunate figures which usually show Wales as one of the poorer areas.
Seems we all agree. A direct and forcefull attack and counter proposals are needed for
– Remain
– Social Justice
Let’s stop analysing the past, and build the future.