Lib Dems’ manifesto

LIBERAL Democrat leader Nick Clegg last night said he would offer a “manifesto you can trust” as he dismissed David Cameron’s plans for government.

The Tory leader launched his policy programme yesterday but Clegg described it as a “manifesto of style over substance”.

The Lib Dem leader said he was determined to offer “something different” to the British people at the General Election on May 6.

The Lib Dem manifesto — published today — will contain “concrete, specific steps” instead of the “vague aspirational talk” offered by Labour and the Tories, Clegg said.

Clegg seized upon the Tory decision to launch their manifesto at south London’s disused Battersea Power Station.

Speaking at a campaign tour event in Bradford he said: “You can’t trust the Conservatives.

“They have just launched a manifesto in a power station that doesn’t generate power. It’s a manifesto of style over substance.

“You can’t trust the Conservatives when they want to give tax breaks to double millionaires not tax breaks to everybody else.

“You can’t trust the Conservatives when they don’t want to clamp down on the bonuses of greedy bankers.

“You can’t trust the Conservatives when they don’t really want to clean out the corrupt state of politics in Westminster.

“That’s why I think we need something different.”

Clegg continued: “David Cameron seems to think that it’s just his turn to govern, that he should just inherit power rather than earn it.”

Earlier yesterday, Clegg unveiled plans to crack down on “obscene” bankers’ bonuses, warning there would be “no reward for failure”.

He said he wanted to see a change in the City of London “as fundamental as the Big Bang of the 1980s”.

Under the Liberal Democrats, all bonuses of more than £2,500 would have to be paid in shares and there would be no bonuses at all at board level.

And any loss-making financial institution would not be allowed to pay discretionary bonuses.