PARTY CONFERENCES 2013
Liberal Democrat Conference 2013 T
Adam Hewitt reports on the Lib Dem conference in Glasgow.
he biggest announcement at the Lib Dems’ conference in Glasgow was free school meals for all pupils at infant schools.
The new policy applies to children in reception and years one and two (ages four to six) and is estimated to save parents about £400 a year. Currently meals are only free to children whose parents earn under £16,190 or who are on benefits.
The policy is universal and not means-tested, in contrast to the general direction of travel of Coalition policy – but its backers suggested it would help end any stigma associated with free school meals and bring children together, while also encouraging healthy eating and, potentially, improved attainment.
cooked meals over packed lunches.
Clegg said: “My ambition is that every primary school pupil should be able to sit down to a hot, healthy lunch with their classmates every day.
“Millions of parents across the country are feeling the squeeze...I am determined to do all we can to help put money back in the pockets of these families.
“We will start with infant school pupils because teaching healthy habits young, and boosting attainment early, will bring the biggest benefits.
“Universal free school meals will help give every child the chance in life that they deserve, building a stronger economy and fairer society.”
The scheme only applies to England, but money is also being given to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for policymakers there to decide whether to copy the English policy or spend the money in other ways.
The Liberal Democrats were noticeably tougher on the Conservatives at their conference this year, especially business secretary Vince Cable who called their politics “ugly”. He said: “We have got dog-whistle politics, orchestrated by an Australian Rottweiler, we have got hostility to organised labour, people on benefits and immigrant minorities.”
But Clegg himself also attacked his coalition partners, focusing on 16 Tory proposals that he said hadn’t happened because the Lib Dems are in Government, such as a tax cut for millionaires, ditching the Human Rights Act and profit-making schools. Clegg said: “Here’s what’s at stake at the next election. The country is finally emerging from the biggest economic crisis in living memory.
“The absolute worst thing to do would be to give the keys to Number 10 to a single-party government – Labour or the Conservatives.
Deputy PM Nick Clegg admitted that the policy was a quid pro quo with their Conservative coalition partners for the married tax allowance.
The £600m roll-out follows successful pilots in a number of local authority areas and a report earlier this year by the founders of the Leon restaurant chain for the Department for Education, which recommended healthy
The NUT said it should be extended to all primary school pupils.
Restaurateur Henry Dimbleby, one of the authors of the report that the new policy is based on, said: “Even those who have free school meals already benefit from this change of culture...Hopefully it will be the first step on the road to free school meals for everyone.”
“Our place in this Government has prevented the pendulum swinging back from left to right. We are now where we always should have been: in power, in the liberal centre, in tune with the British people. And every day we are showing that we can govern and govern well.”
The party voted to adopt a ‘contingency posture’ and to end support for the UK’s continuous-at- sea nuclear deterrence policy – but it stopped short of voting to scrap Trident altogether.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
opinion@publicsectorexecutive.com
26 | public sector executive Sep/Oct 13
© David Cheskin and PA Wire
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84