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Lib Dem conference: Crib sheet mistakenly sent to press Lib Dem conference: Tax rise mooted in email error
(about 1 hour later)
Lib Dem officials have mistakenly sent a crib sheet apparently intended for spokespeople to members of the press. Lib Dems would raise taxes on higher earners, according to a private memo inadvertently sent to journalists.
The private briefing document spelled out what party representatives should say if interviewed by the media. The email was apparently intended for party spokespeople.
It suggested delegates should remember the party is in a "confident mood" and suggested lines of attack against Labour and the Tories. As well as spelling out what interviewees should say to the media, it said the party was looking at how people earning more than £50,000 could make a further tax contribution.
Dismissing a tax proposal in the document, Vince Cable said he did not know where it had come from. Senior Lib Dem Vince Cable said the proposal was not government policy and he did not know where it had come from.
The Lib Dem cabinet minister told the BBC a suggestion in the briefing note that the party wanted those earning over £50,000 to pay more tax was "certainly not" government policy. Party officials said it had been mistakenly included from an out-of-date briefing.
Party officials said the proposal was mistakenly included from an out-of-date briefing. Under the heading "fairer taxes", the memo said: "It is unrealistic to cut more money from welfare spending without increasing taxes on Britain's richest."
Under the heading "fairer taxes", the memo said the party was "looking at" at how the highest earners "could make a further contribution".
"It is unrealistic to cut more money from welfare spending without increasing taxes on Britain's richest," it added.
'Weak leader''Weak leader'
Earlier, party leader Nick Clegg told delegates he was opposed to the idea that the deficit should be reduced by spending cuts alone, without higher taxes playing a part.Earlier, party leader Nick Clegg told delegates he was opposed to the idea that the deficit should be reduced by spending cuts alone, without higher taxes playing a part.
"We will go into the next election in favour of more fair taxes and not follow George Osborne's plan to make further savings out of spending cuts.""We will go into the next election in favour of more fair taxes and not follow George Osborne's plan to make further savings out of spending cuts."
The apparently accidentally leaked document also advised party spokespeople on how to deal with questions on a range of topics - from housing benefit changes to the party's handling of sexual harassment allegations. Although the Lib Dem leader has hinted at raising taxes on those earning over £50,000 before, he has not raised it recently, instead tending to emphasise plans to levy a 1% "mansion tax" on properties over £2m, said BBC deputy political editor James Landale.
Officials said the internal party memo was simply repeating what Mr Clegg had said in interviews a year ago.
As well as policy proposals, the document also advised party spokespeople on how to deal with questions on a range of topics - from housing benefit changes to the party's handling of sexual harassment allegations.
It listed what officials call the Lib Dems' "key achievements in government".It listed what officials call the Lib Dems' "key achievements in government".
And it set out lines of attack against the party's election rivals and potential future coalition partners.And it set out lines of attack against the party's election rivals and potential future coalition partners.
In one passage, the briefing document says Ed Miliband is a "weak leader of a divided party".In one passage, the briefing document says Ed Miliband is a "weak leader of a divided party".
Labour "crashed the economy", the document goes on, and "cannot be trusted".Labour "crashed the economy", the document goes on, and "cannot be trusted".
The section attacking the Tories reminded conference delegates the party had blocked a number of proposals put forward by the other half of the coalition - on inheritance tax, allowing schools to be "run for profit" and letting companies "fire staff at will".The section attacking the Tories reminded conference delegates the party had blocked a number of proposals put forward by the other half of the coalition - on inheritance tax, allowing schools to be "run for profit" and letting companies "fire staff at will".
"The Conservatives on their own cannot build a fairer society," it added."The Conservatives on their own cannot build a fairer society," it added.
But Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said: "I haven't seen this memo. I don't know what it is."But Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said: "I haven't seen this memo. I don't know what it is."