This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8541963.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Parties step up pre-election vows Put police on patrol, says Brown
(40 minutes later)
The three main parties are stepping up their pre-election campaigning by issuing pledges on key policies. Gordon Brown is to tell police forces to put more officers on the beat in an effort to increase the public's confidence in law and order.
Gordon Brown is to urge councils to follow the government's lead and protect the police from spending cuts. The prime minister will say it is not "acceptable" to miss the government target of having neighbourhood PCs on patrol for at least 80% of the time.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives will announce plans to allow hundreds of schools in England to become academies, free from local authority control. Mr Brown will also tell councils and police forces not to cut budgets for frontline law enforcement.
The Liberal Democrats will also focus on schools, restating their commitment to cut class sizes for infants. In a speech, he will dispute the Tories' claim that Britain is "broken".
The general election must be held by June, but it is widely expected to take place on 6 May. The prime minister's comments come as the main political parties step up their campaigning ahead of the general election, which is expected to be held on 6 May.
In a speech in Reading, the prime minister is expected to say that central government will protect funding for frontline staff because the "police are important to people". 'No reason'
"But police funding in this country has always and rightly been part national, part local," he will say. The government says Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) should spend at least 80% of their time on the beat, respond to non-emergency inquiries within 24 hours and hold monthly beat meetings.
We will immediately change the law so we can set hundreds of good schools free from political interference Michael GoveShadow schools secretary In a speech in Reading, Mr Brown will say: "At the pre-Budget report, we made the commitment to protect central government funding for frontline policing - because I know how important our police are to people, and so there will be no reason based on central government funding why police or PCSO numbers should fall.
"But police funding in this country has always and rightly been part national, part local.
"So my challenge to local authorities and police authorities around the country is to match our commitment to protecting front line policing - or else explain to their communities why they are not prepared to do so.""So my challenge to local authorities and police authorities around the country is to match our commitment to protecting front line policing - or else explain to their communities why they are not prepared to do so."
He will also say it is not "acceptable" to miss the government target of putting neighbourhood PCs on patrol for at least 80% of the time. Mr Brown will add: "You know, I love this country - and one of the reasons I'm so proud to serve it is because our community spirit has so often defined what it means to be British.
Mr Brown will argue crime is down by more than a third since 1997 and dispute the Conservatives' claims that Britain is "broken". "And I greatly resent those who seek to talk down what has been achieved in our communities. So we never accept the simplistic and defeatist argument that our communities are 'broken'."
Fresh from their spring conference in Brighton, and mindful of their narrowing lead in the polls, the Conservatives will focus on one of their flagship policies - increasing the number of academies. Class sizes
They will allow schools to opt out of council control by September if they win the general election. In his speech to the Conservatives' spring conference on Sunday, party leader David Cameron said: "Some people say to me that I'm wrong to talk about the broken society, but I say when you've got the highest rate of family breakdown in Europe, when you've got one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy, when there are a million violent crimes committed every year, when there are 100 knife crimes committed every day, when a seven years old child starves to death in Birmingham, our second biggest city, and no one does anything about it, which bit of broken society don't these people understand?"
'Set free' Speaking to head teachers on Monday, shadow schools' secretary Michael Gove will say a Tory government would, within days of taking office, introduce legislation to give schools greater freedom over the curriculum, staff and discipline.
In a speech to head teachers, shadow schools' secretary Michael Gove, along with party leader David Cameron, will say a Tory government would, within days of taking office, introduce legislation to give schools greater freedom over the curriculum, staff and discipline. Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg will stress the importance of early years education in the home and pledge £2.5bn to help cut class sizes.
The process would be speeded up by removing the need to consult local authorities before a school converted to an academy. In a speech to the Salvation Army in London, he will call on all parents to provide the support their children need to thrive.
"We will immediately change the law so we can set hundreds of good schools free from political interference and enable them to help struggling schools," Mr Gove is expected to say.
They will also reveal proposals for schools judged "outstanding" by the Ofsted to be exempt from inspection, allowing the watchdog to concentrate on problem schools.
Education is at the heart of the Liberal Democrats' vision for fairness Nick CleggLiberal Democrat leader
Schools will also be on the Liberal Democrats' agenda on Monday.
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg will stress the importance of early years education in the home and pledge £2.5bn to help cut school class sizes.
In a speech to the Salvation Army in London, he will call on all parents to provide the support their children need to thrive as they grow up.
"I want to live in a society where every child has a chance. Education is at the heart of the Liberal Democrats' vision for fairness," he will say.
"But a good education doesn't end at the school gate. Governments can only make a difference if parents do their bit too."