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Liberal Democrats to put job-creation at heart of election campaign Liberal Democrats to put job-creation at heart of election campaign
(about 2 hours later)
The biggest campaign theme for the Liberal Democrats between now and the 2015 election will be a commitment to help create 1m more jobs.
Strategists hope this will make the party central to the big economic debate that is expected to dominate the runup to the election. The biggest campaign theme for the Liberal Democrats between now and the 2015 election will be a commitment to helping the creation of 1m more jobs.
A decision to focus on jobs was made after polling showed that apart from its commitment to increase tax allowances, the public do not associate the party with recognisably distinctive economic policies. Strategists hope this will make the party central to the big economic debate likely to dominate the run up to the election.
Liberal Democrat officials insisted they are not running away from the coalition commitment to cut the deficit, but recognise that polling shows the Conservatives own this issue. The decision was made after polling showed that apart from its commitment to increase tax allowances, the public do not associate the party with recognisably distinctive economic policies.
Liberal Democrat officials insisted they were not running away from the coalition commitment to cut the deficit, but recognised that polling shows the Conservatives own this issue.
One source said: "The government as a whole has not told the jobs story. We as Liberal Democrats have been central to the growth of jobs through industrial strategy, regional growth policies and green jobs. This is a story that is going to take a year to build up."One source said: "The government as a whole has not told the jobs story. We as Liberal Democrats have been central to the growth of jobs through industrial strategy, regional growth policies and green jobs. This is a story that is going to take a year to build up."
Liberal Democrats believe the government has a good record on employment, creating 1m jobs in the private sector, unexpectedly high during a recession. Unemployment has also been lower than many forecast given the low growth rates. Liberal Democrats believe the government has a good track record on jobs, creating 1m jobs in the private sector, unexpectedly high during a recession, and unemployment has been lower than many forecast given the low growth rates. Over the past year private sector employment has risen by 500,000, partly as workers take wage cuts and labour costs remain low.
Over the past year private sector employment has risen by 500,000, partly as workers take wage cuts and labour costs remain low. Figures released this week showed unemployment fell by 5,000 to 2.51m, or an unchanged 7.8% of the workforce, following three months of rises. Employment was up 24,000 in the quarter to 29.76m and up by 432,000 on a year ago. Nick Clegg, the party leader, will launch the campaign at an event in the north-east on Friday, saying he hopes the private sector can create a further 1m jobs.
There has been a big switch in employment from the public to private sector. Public sector employment was down 22,000 to 5.7m in the first quarter, the lowest level since 2001, while private sector employment rose 46,000 to 24.06m. The party is to ask all its MPs on 18 July to find places for a further 100 apprentices in their constituencies in 100 days. Cabinet members and all its MPs are also expected to spend a day in their constituency training as an apprentice.
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, will launch the campaign at an event in the north-east on Friday saying he hopes the private sector can create a further 1m jobs. Clegg will say: "Britain is creating jobs. I know it doesn't always feel like it – a lot of families are still feeling the pinch. But since the Liberal Democrats came into government in 2010 we've helped British businesses create more than a million jobs. Now we want to help them create a million more. That will mean an unrelenting focus from government for the next two years. The country is on a jobs mission and I'm determined the Liberal Democrats lead it.
The party is also to ask all its MPs on 18 July to find places for a further 100 apprentices in their constituencies in 100 days. Cabinet members and all its MPs are also expected to spend a day in their constituency training as apprentices.
Clegg will say: "Britain is creating jobs. I know it doesn't always feel like it – a lot of families are still feeling the pinch. But since the Liberal Democrats came into government in 2010, we've helped British businesses create more than a million jobs. Now we want to help them create a million more.
"That will mean an unrelenting focus from government for the next two years. The country is on a jobs mission and I'm determined the Liberal Democrats lead it.
"We want more jobs for young people; more jobs outside of London; more jobs in high skilled manufacturing and the high growth industries of the future; more green jobs and more rural jobs too.""We want more jobs for young people; more jobs outside of London; more jobs in high skilled manufacturing and the high growth industries of the future; more green jobs and more rural jobs too."
Clegg has been placed in charge of a new regional growth committee to implement proposals for a single local growth pot of funds, as broadly proposed by Lord Hesletine, the government's adviser on growth. Clegg has been placed in charged of a new regional growth committee charged with implementing city deals and proposals for a single local growth pot of funds as broadly proposed by Lord Heseltine, the government's adviser on growth.
The strategy has some risks since Vince Cable's business department is being targeted for cuts in the spending review later this month, and its flagship jobs programme for young people, the youth contract, is said to be struggling to have an impact. The strategy has some risks as Vince Cable's business department is being targeted for cuts in the spending review later this month, and its flagship jobs programme for young people, the Youth Contract is said to be struggling to have an impact.
The Liberal Democrats say it is legitimate for the party claim credit for the job-creation record in this government, pointing to the role of Cable, the business secretary, though his industrial strategy and labour market reforms. They also claim that the energy and climate change secretary, Ed Davey, will be central to the creation of green jobs, one of the big employment growth areas. The Liberal Democrats say it is legitimate for the party to claim credit for the job creation record in the government pointing to the role of the business secretary, Vince Cable, though his industrial strategy and labour market reforms. They also claim that the energy and climate change secretary, Ed Davey, will be central to the creation of green jobs, one of the big employment growth areas.
It is also expected that from July Clegg will start making a major drive to persuade his party activists ahead of the party conference in the autumn to think collectively about their manifesto-making process so that individual policies do not emerge in an unco-ordinated way, or that the party veers back to the left. It is also expected that from July Clegg will start making a drive to persuade party activists to think collectively about their manifesto-making process so that individual policies do not emerge in an unco-ordinated way, or that the party veers back to the left. Clegg is still scarred by being landed with a commitment to abolish student tuition fees, and wants the party to draft its manifesto on the basis that it is likely another coalition can be formed.
Clegg is still scarred by being landed with a commitment to abolish student tuition fees, and wants the party to draft its manifesto on the basis that it is likely another coalition can be formed. Clegg's aides say the manifesto will be clearer about its key priorities, but recoils at the suggestions that some policies will be presented as non-negotiable red lines. "If you have too many red lines, you can negotiate your way out of any coalition talks before they start," an aide said.
Clegg's aides say the manifesto will be clearer about its key priorities, but recoils at suggestions that some policies will be presented as non-negotiable red lines. "If you have too many red lines, you can negotiate your way out of any coalition talks before they start," an aide said. Clegg, determined to offer himself as the leader of the most centrist party in British politics, will repeat the formula that in the event of a hung parliament he will speak first to the party with the most votes and seats. The formula does not preclude eventually forming a coalition with the party that came second.
Clegg, determined to offer himself as the leader of the most centrist party in British politics, will repeat the formula that in the event of a hung parliament, he will speak first to the party with the most votes and seats. The formula does not preclude eventually forming a coalition with the party that came second. Party strategists also believe the apparent Labour commitment to the coalition spending plans for 2015-16 may draw some of the poison from some former Liberal Democrat voters in 2010 that have defected to Labour angry at the Liberal Democrat decision to embrace the Conservative deficit reduction plan. This might help the Liberal Democrats in Tory Liberal Democrat marginals, as recent defectors to Labour realise they should vote for centrist liberal Democrat economic policies.
Party strategists also believe the apparent Labour commitment to the coalition spending plans for 2015-16 may draw some of the poison from some former Liberal Democrat voters in 2010 that have defected to Labour angry at the Liberal Democrat decision to embrace the Conservative deficit-reduction plan. Figures released this week showed employment was up 24,000 in the quarter to 29.76m and up by 432,000 on a year ago. There has been a big switch in employment from the public to private sector. Public sector employment was down 22,000 to 5.7m in the first quarter, the lowest level since 2001, while private sector employment rose 46,000 to 24.06m.
This might help the Liberal Democrats in Tory/Liberal Democrat marginals, as recent defectors to Labour realise they should vote for centrist liberal Democrat economic policies. Melissa Kite, page 38