Lib Dems pitch for female voters

Women must be treated equally, the Lib Dems say

The Liberal Democrats have highlighted proposals to tackle discrimination against women, accusing Labour of failing to address the issue.

Plans include a Citizen's Pension, a maternity income guarantee of £170 a week, and an Equality Act to target discrimination at work.

Labour plan to extend maternity leave to nine months by 2007 and to boost childcare provision and flexi-working.

The Tories propose flexible maternity leave and a childcare subsidy.

Many of the old injustices and inequalities remain Charles Kennedy Lib Dem briefing

The Lib Dems' Citizen's Pension would be based on residency, not National Insurance contributions.

It would mean a pensioner receiving an extra £100 a month and pensioner couples, an extra £140 a month. Means-testing would be abolished for the over 75s, the party says.

The aim would be to ensure women are not penalised for taking time out to be a carer or raise a family.

The Lib Dems say under the current pension system women get an average of £40 a week less than men.

Funding issue

Sandra Gidley, the party's spokeswoman for women, had said the Citizen's Pension would be funded from a new top rate of income tax of 50p for earnings over £100,000.

But later, the party admitted she was wrong, stressing the pension would be paid for by £5bn in savings, partly from plans to scrap the Department for Trade and Industry.

Ms Gidley said: "The current pension system is inherently unjust for women and that's because a woman's contribution history is incomplete due to caring responsibilities.

"Because of that incomplete contribution history, there's a huge difference between male and female pension levels.

"Two million pensioners live under the government's poverty line and two thirds are women."

Children's centres

Ms Gidley said, under Lib Dem plans, women would receive a pension "in their own right".

"Our pension plans are a good example of a policy which is fair to all, but because of that benefits women particularly," she added.

Labour are awaiting the results of a review into pensions conducted by Adair Turner, the former head of the Confederation of British Industry.

The Conservatives have rejected the idea of a pension scheme based on residency, but say all pensions should be linked to earnings.

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Family issues

The Lib Dems are also committed to establishing 3,500 children's centres by 2010.

The party also says women stand particularly to benefit from its plans to scrap tuition fees for higher education, as female graduates earn on average 15% less than their male counterparts at the age of 24.

Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy said: "Women have made great progress over the past decades.

"But many of the old injustices and inequalities remain."

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Pensions

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson in the House of Lords, said the party was committed to giving mothers the choice to spend more time with their child in the early months.

"Our Maternity Income Guarantee of £170 a week for the first six months forms a solid base for working women to plan the start of their life with their first baby.

"It will help to prevent this most exciting of times for new parents being marred by the financial worry that can so often accompany it."

Iraq

As Labour turns its attention to immigration and asylum issues, Mr Kennedy said he favoured an immigration and quota system set by an independent body and linked to skills shortages in Britain.

"On offer from the political parties is something of a consensus that we need a responsible, controlled immigration policy - that's what we are putting forward," he said.

He also promised he would have "plenty to say about Iraq" over the next few days.

The Liberal Democrats were vehemently opposed to the war. But Mr Kennedy said he had not wanted to begin the campaign talking about the issue through fear the party would be "pigeon-holed".

Mr Kennedy was visiting Maidenhead on Friday - the seat of Tory frontbencher Theresa May. He will later travel to Cardiff Central, the seat of Labour's Jon Owen Jones.

The trips follow visits to the seats of shadow home secretary David Davis and shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin, as part of a campaign to "decapitate" the Tory leadership.