`So what have the Liberal Democrats actually done in coalition?'

by Janet King

20 Mar 2015

There are two reasons for the Liberal Democrats being in government -

to get Liberal Democrats policies put into action,

to stop those Conservative policies, which would damage our society or economy.

With less than one in ten MPs in Parliament being Lib Dem, both lists are impressively long given that basic Parliamentary reality.

THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN COALITION 2010-2015

TAXATION

Delivered an £825 tax cut to over 26 million people by raising the income tax threshold to £10,600 in 2015. 2010 manifesto on p.18: "We will increase the income tax threshold to £10,000"
Taken over 3 million low earners out of income tax altogether through the key Lib Dem policy of raising the basic income tax threshold. 2010 manifesto on p.18: "We will increase the income tax threshold to £10,000"
Increased Capital Gains Tax to 28% for higher rate taxpayers whilst keeping it at 18% for basic rate taxpayers. Progress towards what we said we'd do in our 2010 manifesto on p.14: "We will tax capital gains at the same rates as income, so that all the money you make is taxed in the same way

PENSIONS

Restored the link between pensions and earnings, scrapped by Margaret Thatcher
2010 manifesto on p.18: "We will immediately restore the link between the basic state pension and earnings. We will uprate the state pension annually by whichever is the higher of growth in earnings or 2.5%"
Creating a new, simple single state pension, set above the basic means test level 2010 manifesto on p.52: "We will bring in a Citizen's Pension that will be paid to all UK citizens who are long-term residents"

Phased out the compulsory retirement age. 2010 manifesto on p.52: "Scrap compulsory retirement ages, allowing those who wish to continue in work to do so"

Scrapped the expensive and impractical ID cards programme. 2010 manifesto on p.16: "We will scrap ID cards"
Ensured no replacement of the costly Trident nuclear weapons system this Parliament.2010 manifesto on p.17: "We will pay down the deficit by saying no to the like-for-like replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system"

Creating the best Superfast Broadband in Europe by 2015 and 2Mbps available across all of the UK, including rural areas. 2010 manifesto on p.26: "Support public investment in the roll-out of superfast broadband, targeted first at those areas which are least likely to be provided for by the market"
Legislating to extend the right to request flexible working to all employees.
2010 manifesto on p.30: "We will extend the right to request flexible working to all employees"

EDUCATION and HEALTH

Delivered on the key Lib Dem pledge of a £2.5bn Pupil Premium to bring extra funding to disadvantaged students. Its rate has now been increased further to £1,300 per eligible pupil in primary schools and £935 per eligible pupil in secondary schools in 2014-15 (England).

2010 manifesto p.34: "We will increase the funding of the most disadvantaged pupils, around one million children. We will invest £2.5bn in this Pupil Premium to boost education opportunities for every child"

Announced tougher action on homophobic bullying in schools and given teachers stronger powers and guidance to tackle cyber-bullying (England)

2010 manifesto p.35: "We will confront bullying, including homophobic bullying, and include bullying prevention in teacher training"

Ensured the Government maintained the commitment to end child poverty by 2020

2010 manifesto p.50: "Maintain the commitment to end child poverty in the UK by 2020"

Ended the routine detention of children for immigration purposes

2010 manifesto p.76: "We will end the detention of children in immigration detention centres"

Removed innocent people's DNA from the police database (England & Wales)

2010 manifesto on p.94: "We will remove innocent people from the police DNA database"

Vetoed the Snooper's Charter plans to monitor everyone's online activity

2010 manifesto on p.94: "We will end plans to store your email and internet records without good cause"

HEALTH

Allowing patients in six trial areas to register with a GP practice of their choice (England)

2010 manifesto on p.43: "Giving every patient the right to choose to register with the GP they want, without being restricted by where they live

Investing around £400 million to make psychological therapies available for those who need them, including for the first time children and adolescents (England)

2010 manifesto on p.41: "We will improve access to counselling for people with mental health problems, by continuing the roll- out of cognitive and behavioural therapies"

Increased funding for dementia research by 150%,reaching £66.3 million by 2014-15 (England & Wales)

2010 manifesto on p.41: "We will prioritise dementia research within the health research and development budget"

BANKING and TAXATION

Investing nearly £1 billion to crack down on tax avoidance, raising an extra £9 billion per year by 2015

2010 manifesto on p.14: "We will tackle tax avoidance and evasion, with new powers for HMRC"

Agreed to the Vickers Report recommendation to separate retail and investment banking

2010 manifesto p.22: "We will break up the banks, to ensure taxpayers are never again expected to underwrite high - risk banking"

Established the Equitable Life Payment Scheme and begun payments to people who lost their money, ending years of stalling under Labour

2010 manifesto on p.18: "Meeting the government's obligations towards Equitable Life policyholders who have suffered loss. We will set up a swift, simple, transparent and fair payment scheme"

Introduced a banking levy so the banks pay their fair share of tax

2010 manifesto on p.22: "We will introduce a Banking Levy, so that banks pay for their tax-payer guarantee, until the break-up is complete"

Created a Green Investment Bank, triggering an extra £15billion of investment in green infrastructure by 2014-15

2010 manifesto on p.24: "To help the transition to a green economy over the longer term, we will set up a United Kingdom Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) to attract private finance"

Ensured the overseas aid budget was protected from cuts and reached the international 0.7% of GDP target from 2013

2010 manifesto on p.62: "We will increase the UK's aid budget to reach the UN target of 0.7% of GNI by 2013"

Banned private sector wheel-clamping to put an end to rogue clampers (England & Wales) 2010 manifesto on p.54: "We will stop private sector wheel-clamping"

Secured a judicial inquiry into Britain's role in torture and rendition.

2010 manifesto on p.68: "We will hold a full judicial inquiry into allegations of British complicity in torture and state kidnapping as part of a process to restore Britain's reputation for decency and fairness"
Mapped out the Government's path to renewable energy to 2050, including massive investment in low carbon electricity. 2010 manifesto p.58: "We will set out a clear renewable route map to 2050, covering grid access and investment in electricity networks"

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