Liberal Democrats launch the Liberal Democrat manifesto for women

Charles Kennedy MP has launched the Liberal Democrat's manifesto for women. Amongst the proposals are plans to introduce a fairer Citizen's Pension, a Maternity Income Guarantee, and free long-term care for the elderly, helping both those in need and their carers.

Mr Kennedy said "There are areas of public policy which disadvantage women. Perhaps the most glaring of these is pensions. Two million pensioners in Britain currently live below the Government's own poverty line - two-thirds of whom are women. Pensions are currently calculated on the basis of how many years you have worked. Years spent caring for children are currently ignored when women reach pensionable age. We propose a Citizen's Pension, based on residency not on contributions."

Mr. Kennedy also said "Crime and worries about safety on our streets come at the top of women's concerns too. We would put 10,000 more police officers on the streets and keep them there longer by cutting down on unnecessary paperwork. We would strengthen anti-social behaviour measures so that they not only punish but also tackle the causes of bad behaviour."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Women, Sandra Gidley MP, added "Women make up nearly half the working population, but don't have the flexibility in the way they work to balance family commitments too. We would offer new mothers the option of receiving a Maternity Income Guarantee equivalent to the minimum wage of £170 per week for the 6 months after the birth of their first child."

Unequal pay makes student debt harder on women, with female graduates earning on average 15% less than their male counterparts at the age of 24. Young women would particularly benefit from our policies to scrap top-up and tuition fees, which would make university affordable for everyone. They don't want to be forced to worry about student debt, they don't want to live in a nanny state that makes them carry ID cards, and they tell us they can't trust a Government that misled the country about going to war in Iraq.

Women's votes will be crucial at the next General Election. Women voters are fed up with the tit-for-tat fighting between Labour and the Conservatives. Young women voters growing up under the Conservatives tell us that they have seen no policy changes under New Labour. They are disillusioned with Labour's failure to deliver, and the Conservatives' inability to form a credible opposition.