Nick Clegg: “As you decide how to cast your vote, of course you’ll be told by these two, that real change is dangerous, that it can’t be done.

“Don’t let anyone scare you from following your instincts. Together, next week we can change Britain for good.”

Well done Nick Clegg, another confident perfomance last night confirmed his status as a key challenger. And with Lbour slumping what had become a 3 way fight is fast becoming a 2 way horse race – between the Lib Dems and the Conservatives.

Whatever your views about live debates, they have clearly energised the electorate like never before and allowing people to make up their own minds, sidestepping the spin doctors and the biased national newspapers.

And it’s clear that over the 3 debates Nick Clegg has probably done best, and Brown has struggled. 

For the Lib Dems they have been a remarkable success, projecting Nick Clegg into the spotlight like never before, allowing us to outline our policies and vision for Britain like never before and allowing us to challenge the two old failed parties and their tired policies.

Now it’s over to you, “You’re the boss”. Do we go for real change with the Lib Dems, cosmetic change with the Tories or no change with Labour.

There is everything to play for , it’s time to grasp change like never before.

Your can read Nick Cleggs opening and closing statements from last nights debate here.

Comedian Shazia Mirza, music producer Brian Eno, outspoken atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and George Monbiot, are among 30 celebrities who’ve signed an open letter to the Guardian in support of the Lib Dems.

They write: “Some of us have already pinned our colours to the Liberal Democrat mast. For others, the decision is a difficult one. But May 2010 offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape politics for the better. It must be seized

You can read the full letter here

Last nights Hustings event was at the (relatively new) Maccabi Community and Sports club on Bury Old Road in Prestwich.

As ever my Labour and Conservative opponents were also there and we were treated to a pretty good turnout. The event was organised by the Faith Network 4 Manchester, a Manchester centred interfaith “alliance” of faith groups and charities.

Naturally therefore many of the questions were directly or indirectly related to faith issues, some on issues of concern to the Jewish community and some of concern to the Christian community.

Questions were also asked about Asylum seekers, Hung parliaments, Mental Health and supporting the low paid. 

The event lasted 2 hours and when I tell you answers were limited to 2 minutes per person you can imagine we got through quite a few questions. A bit like political speed dating!

All in all an excellent event. I must congratulate Jonny Wineberg as Chair, and all involved in the Faith Network 4 Manchester for organising this event and of course Maccabi for hosting it. 

Last night I attended a hustings event organised by the Chamber of Commerce alongside my Labour and Conservative counterparts.

What came across loud and clear was both the pressure small to medium sized enterprises currently find themselves under and the concern that the political parties had the right answers so far as business and the economy were concerned.

On the day when the Institute for Fiscal Studies criticised the 3 main parties for having large holes in their plans to cut the budget deficit etc, I said that political parties need to be honest with the electorate. It is no use any of the main parties trying to pretend in this crisis that we have exclusive solutions to the problem.

That’s why the Lib Dems would like the three main parties to get together after the election in a council for fiscal stability. We need a coherent, sustainable cross party response to this massive problem. Lets bring the Chancellor together with the shadow chancellors and the Governor of the Bank of England and others and iron out a strategy that can take the economy forward.

Incidently  the IFS briefing clearly stated that the Liberal Democrats have gone further than any party in identifying the savings that will be needed to tackle the structural deficit. The Conservatives on the other hand have pledged to make the biggest cuts to spending since the Second World War without coming clean about where the axe will fall. 

The IFS also shows both Labour and the Conservatives are hiding behind vague efficiency savings to avoid coming clean about their proposals.

We welcome the IFS’s overall assessment that the Liberal Democrat plans to raise the personal allowance to £10,000 is progressive, adds up and gives people an incentive to work.

This is in stark contrast to the assessment of Conservative tax plans, which the IFS have shown to be both regressive by rewarding the richest, as well as self contradictory. As the IFS have shown, the Conservatives would have to reverse half of their proposed £6bn National Insurance tax cut to meet their own targets on tax.

The Liberal Democrats have set out radical plans to protect the environment and set the economy on a path to a zero carbon Britain.

The proposals include a £3.1bn green economic stimulus package, plans to slash energy use and improve energy efficiency, and a UK Infrastructure Bank to embed green investment for the long term.  

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

“This election is not like any other. Climate scientists tell us that the next government will be the last that can stop dangerous climate change.

“That is a huge responsibility for the party that wins this election. But it’s an even bigger responsibility for the voters that will choose them on May 6.

“So my message is this: don’t settle for a Labour party that has had thirteen years to deliver on the environment and has failed. Don’t settle for a Conservative party that talks the talk on green issues, only to align themselves with climate change deniers in the European Parliament. And don’t give your vote to a Green Party that cannot make a difference in Westminster.

“Instead, choose the only party that was taking a stand on saving the planet well before it became fashionable. The only party that has led the way on tackling climate change, from championing the 10:10 campaign in our councils, to setting out radical plans in Parliament to cut Britain’s carbon emissions. Choose the only party that in the wake of the economic crisis is setting out a credible vision for a new and sustainable economy.

“Something really exciting is happening in British politics. This is a huge opportunity to set Britain on the road to a prosperous and green future. “We should seize it.”

Just returned from delivering our latest local election leaflet from Baguley Crescent in Rhodes – sadly the Middleton version not the greek island. Although the weather is decidely mediterranean at the moment.

After my delivery round I popped up to Simister village which had its annual St.Georges Day festival today.

The organisers must be delighted with the turnout, it seemed the whole village was at the Lady Wilton Hall. Mary and I took an executive decision and decided we had earned an Ice Cream. Our first Ice cream of the year and the campaign!

Sadly after  a short rest it’s back out again soon.  

I’ve just returned from a election campaign meeting at Manchester Mesivta High School in Prestwich.

It was great to visit this school for the first time since it’s been rebuilt, to meet Mr Pink , Head Teacher and Mr Lewis, Principal and colleagues.

The event was effectively part of the schools mock election campaign. Along with candidates from Labour, the Conservatives and the Green Party, I was invited to make a short speech, which was followed by a question and answer session.

I have to say there were some tremendous questions from the pupils and we were all suitably tested.

My congratulations to the organisers and of course the Mesivta LibDem candidate.

You can read my speech here:mesivta-speech.pdf

I’m currently waiting for the headline, “Clegg eats babies for breakfast”.

Todays savage attack on Nick Clegg confirms more than ever that we need a groundshift and radical reform in british politics.

The Tories said our policies should be scrutinised. Fine, that’s right and proper. Today we saw smear not scrutiny, we saw Conservative vested interests bullying the electorate. We saw corporate conservatives saying to the British people, oh no you don’t – you will vote Tory. 

It’s wrong, it is a disgraceful intervention in a general election and it certainly aint policy scrutiny or news journalism.

I was prepared to just put it down to the press and their conservative vested interests but I have yet to see any condemnation from the Conservative Party.

The only comment I have seen was to say that we should expect this as we are doing well. Ok, well we undoubtedly expected to be attacked, but this has gone way over the top. In any case what can be expected doesn’t necessarily mean its right.

It just proves yet again how rotten our democracy really is. Things have to change.  

The Liberal Democrats have set out radical plans to invest extra money in schools to give every child a fair chance.

We will invest an extra £2.5bn in schools through a Pupil Premium that will raise funding for the poorest pupils to private school levels.

The money will be targeted at schools taking on children who need more help, but will benefit every child in every school. The cash can be used to cut class sizes and provide one-to-one tuition or catch-up classes, ensuring every child gets the individual attention they need.

An average primary school could cut class sizes to 20. An average secondary school could see classes of just 16.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said:

“In 1997, when New Labour was first elected, no one would have believed it would end like this. Labour’s bright promise of a fair society has faded away.

“Our big task now is giving people back their hope that things can be different, and better, and that the fair society we have hoped for so long can become a reality.

“If you want to build that fair society I believe education is everything. That is why the biggest financial commitment in our manifesto is to our schools.

“With the deficit as it is, everyone knows money is tight, but this is a question of priorities. We have identified in our manifesto £15bn of savings, of which we will redirect just £5bn to alternate spending. It is a measure of my personal commitment and passion for education that half of that money will go into our schools.

“Our plans will raise the money spent on the million children from the poorest backgrounds to private school levels. Headteachers will be able to use that money on a whole range of measures to help all pupils and all schools.

“Cutting class sizes, providing more one-to-one tuition and catch-up classes: whatever suits their school and their pupils’ needs best. With a simple, but profound ambition: to make sure every child gets the fair start in life they deserve.”

Vic D’Albert, Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Bury South added, “I am very proud of the Lib Dems committment to education. Recession or no recession our childrens education is fundamental and cannot be put at risk. Smaller class sizes is a simple but very effective way to improve early years education at a stroke.”