92Rewind: The Liberal Democrat Manifesto

This blog is coming to you as part of Open2.net's 92Rewind Twitter stream in the lead up to this year's General Election.

The Liberal Democrats launch their manifesto, which leader Paddy Ashdown describes as ''visionary but realistic''.

Paddy Ashown

From the introduction:

This manifesto does not promise good times just around the corner. It does not avoid difficult questions out of fear of unpopularity. It simply tells the truth; the truth about what Liberal Democrats believe has to be done in order for Britain to succeed. If you want Britain to stay the same then you probably won't like this manifesto. But if you want real change, if you long for a better future for yourself, your family, your community and your country, then read on. Britain has a clear choice at this election. We can stay much as we are, in the same old muddle, with difficult decisions postponed. Our failure to adjust to the modern world will then become every more serious. We will lag further behind in creating and sharing wealth. More and more people will lose their jobs and homes. Our environment will go on deteriorating. Our public services, already second rate, will become even worse. We shall fail to get the best out of the European Community, because our leaders will continue to be afraid to tell us that shared success in the Community means sharing sovereignty too. Our system of politics will continue to foster confrontation and short-term thinking, and exclude ordinary citizens from the business of government. This manifesto offers a different choice for Britain.

Libdemmanifesto.com has the manifesto in full