The Liberal Democratic stance on Welfare Reform is one of extensive change. The party has always been associated with efforts to impede long-standing, worn out policies that, in the Lib-Dem's perception, sustain old guard ideas that are not progressive enough. The Liberal Democrat's President is Charles Kennedy. Kennedy has a history of extensive involvement in issues relating to the welfare state. He has worked as spokesman for the SDP-Liberal Alliance, now the Liberal Democrats and also served in the mid eighties in the All-Party Select Committee on Health and Social Services. (1)
In Britain the word welfare encompasses a whole range of social services performed by the government. However, specifically for this election, the focus is on three prominent themes: pensions, families with children, and the unemployed. All three major parties have plans developed
for widespread pension reform. Previously scheduled elderly persons increases are coming in April of 2002 but the Liberal Democrats are in favor of adding to these benefits.(2) The Lib-Dems would like to raise the basic state pension by 5 pounds. They are also committed to giving an extra 10 pounds to people over 75 and 15 pounds to those over 80.(3) In addition, they would do away with the savings rule that holds back pensions to those who have more than 12,000 pounds in savings. Along with the conservatives the liberal democrats are in favor of reducing the amount of people affected by New Labour's system of means testing.(3) They are in accord with distributing greater say to members of private pension funds as to how they are invested. Also, Lib-Dems plan to extend the basic state pension while there is talk in Labour's camp of doing away with it all togethe
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