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| Lib Dems push for income tax cuts in future coalition talks | Lib Dems push for income tax cuts in future coalition talks |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Raising the personal income tax allowance to £12,500 will be a key Lib Dem demand in any coalition talks after the 2015 election, the party has said. | Raising the personal income tax allowance to £12,500 will be a key Lib Dem demand in any coalition talks after the 2015 election, the party has said. |
| Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said raising the threshold for the amount people can earn before paying income tax was "a top priority". | |
| He said the party's 2015 election manifesto would include the pledge. | |
| Meeting for their spring conference, Lib Dems also backed extending the time before EU migrants can claim benefits. | Meeting for their spring conference, Lib Dems also backed extending the time before EU migrants can claim benefits. |
| The new policy would mean EU migrants to the UK could claim benefits only after six months. | The new policy would mean EU migrants to the UK could claim benefits only after six months. |
| The plan would also make it easier for foreign students to stay and work in the UK and for immigrants to bring their families to live with them. | The plan would also make it easier for foreign students to stay and work in the UK and for immigrants to bring their families to live with them. |
| Speaking at the conference in York, Business Secretary Vince Cable said the Tories were inclined to "fan the flames of prejudice" over immigration. | Speaking at the conference in York, Business Secretary Vince Cable said the Tories were inclined to "fan the flames of prejudice" over immigration. |
| 'Our own values' | |
| Mr Alexander, who is due to lead his party's negotiating team if there is to be a new coalition in 2015, told the conference that another rise of at least £500 in the personal income tax allowance - amounting to a tax cut of £100 a year - is to be earmarked for the first Budget or Autumn Statement after the election. | Mr Alexander, who is due to lead his party's negotiating team if there is to be a new coalition in 2015, told the conference that another rise of at least £500 in the personal income tax allowance - amounting to a tax cut of £100 a year - is to be earmarked for the first Budget or Autumn Statement after the election. |
| Party leader Nick Clegg has already called for a further £500 increase to be included in this month's Budget. | Party leader Nick Clegg has already called for a further £500 increase to be included in this month's Budget. |
| The income tax allowance stood at £6,475 when the coalition government was formed in May 2010. Since 2010, it has risen to £10,000. | The income tax allowance stood at £6,475 when the coalition government was formed in May 2010. Since 2010, it has risen to £10,000. |
| "We will fight the next election with our own ideas, our own policies, our own values - no-one else's," Mr Alexander said during his conference speech on Saturday. | "We will fight the next election with our own ideas, our own policies, our own values - no-one else's," Mr Alexander said during his conference speech on Saturday. |
| "And I can tell you that a top priority in any negotiation will be our aspiration to raise the personal allowance dramatically again in the next Parliament. | "And I can tell you that a top priority in any negotiation will be our aspiration to raise the personal allowance dramatically again in the next Parliament. |
| "To raise it to £12,500... that would be a further tax cut for working people of £500. At our first fiscal event in the next Parliament, we would deliver another tax cut of at least £100. | "To raise it to £12,500... that would be a further tax cut for working people of £500. At our first fiscal event in the next Parliament, we would deliver another tax cut of at least £100. |
| "A two-term Lib Dem government would then be delivering a tax cut for working people of £1,200 - that's £100 a month." | "A two-term Lib Dem government would then be delivering a tax cut for working people of £1,200 - that's £100 a month." |
| Mr Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, has called for this month's Budget to be used to deliver a "workers' bonus", by raising the threshold to £10,500. | Mr Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, has called for this month's Budget to be used to deliver a "workers' bonus", by raising the threshold to £10,500. |
| Mr Alexander added: "Every day in the run-up to the Budget, Nick and I are drawing strength from our party's growing campaign to press for a further rise in the allowance to £10,500. | |
| "That would be another £100 tax cut for working people on top of the £700 already delivered." | "That would be another £100 tax cut for working people on top of the £700 already delivered." |
| 'Gone native' | 'Gone native' |
| He also renewed his party's criticism of its coalition partners, the Conservatives. | He also renewed his party's criticism of its coalition partners, the Conservatives. |
| "In 2010 the Conservatives wanted inheritance tax cuts for millionaires; we fought for and delivered tax cuts for working people," Mr Alexander said. | |
| "In 2011 the Conservatives wanted 'shares for rights'; we fought for and delivered tax cuts for working people. | "In 2011 the Conservatives wanted 'shares for rights'; we fought for and delivered tax cuts for working people. |
| "In 2013 the Conservatives wanted a tax break for married couples that excluded millions of families; we fought for and delivered - you guessed it - more tax cuts for working people. | "In 2013 the Conservatives wanted a tax break for married couples that excluded millions of families; we fought for and delivered - you guessed it - more tax cuts for working people. |
| "Now, belatedly, some Tories are lamely trying to claim credit. | "Now, belatedly, some Tories are lamely trying to claim credit. |
| "Don't get me wrong, it must be hard to be a Tory in a Treasury delivering so much Lib Dem policy, so it's no surprise if some of them have gone native." | "Don't get me wrong, it must be hard to be a Tory in a Treasury delivering so much Lib Dem policy, so it's no surprise if some of them have gone native." |
| If the results of the next general election, which is due in 2015, mean that another coalition involving the Lib Dems is a possibility, Mr Alexander will be joined in the Lib Dem negotiating team by David Laws, Lynne Featherstone and Steve Webb - who have all been ministers in the current coalition - along with Baroness Brinton. | If the results of the next general election, which is due in 2015, mean that another coalition involving the Lib Dems is a possibility, Mr Alexander will be joined in the Lib Dem negotiating team by David Laws, Lynne Featherstone and Steve Webb - who have all been ministers in the current coalition - along with Baroness Brinton. |
| Mr Alexander said the government was "delivering a sense of optimism" around the economy, adding that "we can feel confidence returning". | |
| He added that the "right conditions for this recovery would not have happened without the Liberal Democrats in government". | |
| "Every job that's been created, every apprenticeship opened up, every tax cut delivered for working people has our Liberal Democrat DNA running through it," he said. | |
| "Because of us, Britain is on its way back." | |
| In a further reference to the Conservatives, Mr Alexander said the government could not rely on "cutting public spending and targeting welfare to finish the job" of improving the economy. | |
| "That's why we are committed to ensuring that the wealthiest pay their fair share," he added. | |
| Toxic | |
| Elsewhere at the spring conference, Business Secretary Vince Cable spoke in support of Lib Dem calls to make it easier for foreign students to stay and work in the UK and for immigrants to bring their families to live with them. | Elsewhere at the spring conference, Business Secretary Vince Cable spoke in support of Lib Dem calls to make it easier for foreign students to stay and work in the UK and for immigrants to bring their families to live with them. |
| Mr Cable said his party had an "acute responsibility" to address issues surrounding immigration. | Mr Cable said his party had an "acute responsibility" to address issues surrounding immigration. |
| During a debate on immigration policy, he said: "It was never more necessary to have a party that was willing to stand up on this toxic issue and address it from the point of view of realism and evidence and fact." | During a debate on immigration policy, he said: "It was never more necessary to have a party that was willing to stand up on this toxic issue and address it from the point of view of realism and evidence and fact." |
| His comments come days after Immigration Minister James Brokenshire spoke out against the Lib Dem minister's belief that rising immigration was "good news" for the country. | His comments come days after Immigration Minister James Brokenshire spoke out against the Lib Dem minister's belief that rising immigration was "good news" for the country. |