It's funny but for some reason the Telegraph has gone all soft on us, via Nick Clegg. Today's Telegraph feature is entitled: "How Nick Clegg plans to shake up Westminster".
Nick derides Cameron's £20 tax bribe for married couples and advocates major change in the democratic system as a priority before talk of coalitions:
I don't see how in a political system biased in favour of giving totally untrammelled executive authority to parties even if they don't get a majority of the popular mandate, how coalitions can or should be the result of that. So what's the point of getting tied up in knots about something that's not likely to happen?"
There are also hints at new "right" leaning policies, some of which seem to be existing LibDem policies:
He has begun planning a series of radical policy initiatives to achieve his aims, which will herald a move to the Right by the Liberal Democrats. Wavering Tory voters are clearly the main target.
Today, he sets out controversial proposals to overhaul the payment of child benefit which will allow parents to receive it in lump sums to pay for child care or even private school fees.
However, it is on tax where he is preparing the major battleground with the Conservatives.
"Let me be clear, I will not be seeking to introduce a 50 per cent tax rate for earnings over £100,000 and I will not be seeking to increase the overall tax burden on the British economy."
He pledges a "massive" four pence cut in the basic rate of income tax, which will be funded by £6.7 billion worth of new green levies on polluting cars, aircraft and other polluters. However, he will also strip pensions of higher-rate tax relief and "controversially" "reform" - increase - capital-gains tax.
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