Over 20 million working people will be better off next year after Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government delivered the biggest ever increase in the income tax personal allowance in the Budget.
The massive £3.5bn tax cut for working people delivers:
The biggest ever single uplift in the tax threshold
A personal allowance of £9,205 in April 2013
21 million working people getting an extra £220 tax cut
Brings the total tax cut for basic rate tax payers to £550
Brings the total number of people lifted out of tax to 2 million.
Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg used his speech to the Party's Spring conference in NewcastleGateshead to call for the forthcoming budget to be a "budget for fairness" and pledged that it would help working familes.
The Deputy Prime Minister pledged that by 2015 Britain would have seen an end to control orders, the first gay marriages and the first elections to the House of Lords.
Fairer taxes, promoting green jobs, protecting your civil liberties - these are just some of the achievements of the Liberal Democrats in government.
We're building a freer, greener and more liberal country - and stopping some of the worst excesses of the Conservatives. Find out more in this infographic.
In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."
On 5th May you have a choice. You can keep the discredited First Past the Post system to elect our MPs, or you can choose a new and fairer system - Alternative Vote (AV). Back the campaign for change at www.YesToFairerVotes.org
Last night was the final of the three televised Leaders' debates. Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, debated with Gordon Brown and David Cameron about the economy. Subjects discussed included breaking up the banks, creating more jobs and reinvigorating the British economy.
Most post-debate polls scored this final debate to David Cameron, but again put Nick Clegg clearly ahead of Gordon Brown. An analysis by pollsters Angus Reid of previously undecided voters who watched the debate gave Nick Clegg 37%, David Cameron 25%, Gordon Brown 22% and Not sure 16%. Angus Reid found that 32% of undecided voters say they are now more likely to vote for the Liberal Democrats after watching the final debate, with just 18% Conservative and 15% Labour.
Peter Thornton is 58 years of age (dob 26/08/51) Married to Hazel for 37 years, they have three grown up daughters one of whom lives in the USA.
He was born in Kendal and attended Kendal Grammar School
Most of Peter's working life has been spent as a photographer but Hazel and Peter now have a smallholding in Longsleddale where they keep Dexter cattle. They also run a small business producing pork and lamb sausages that they sell at Summer festivals and agricultural shows. It's very hard work for a couple of months but it allows Peter to spend the rest of the year being a full time Councillor. Peter has been a businessman for over 30 years and has traded through bad times and good. He's very aware of the pressures on small businesses, rent, rates, utility costs, excessive regulation and the particular problems of the small shopkeeper in the age of the internet and of out of town shopping. He visits his daughter in the USA and sees a land of strip malls and hypermarkets often with no recognisable town centres. He's very aware that our town centres are under huge pressure and believes that radical solutions are needed if they are to continue to survive.
Penrith and The Border is a fantastic area to live! Many of its residents have retired here and live happy and comfortable lives in our wonderful communities, amongst some of the best countryside in the world.
I've travelled all over the world and there's nowhere like this. Nowhere with the blend of scenery and culture that we find in the old counties of Westmorland and Cumberland.
An average of five polls conducted immediately after the Sky TV Leaders Election debate on Thursday night put Nick Clegg as the winner, with all instant polls showing him ahead of Gordon Brown. After the Foreign Affairs-led debate from Bristol dominated by issues like Iraq, immigration and climate change, Nick Clegg won 3 of the 5 polls on the night, building on his position after the first debate.
