Liberal Democrats at their conference in Brighton in September agreed policies that would see a 4p cut in income tax, paid for by increasing the tax burden on those who cause the most pollution.

With the most radical green policies of the three main parties, Liberal Democrats aim to cut the tax burden on people on low and middle incomes, encourage people to change towards cleaner, greener ways of living and reverse the widening gap between rich and poor. Under Gordon Brown, that gap is now wider than it was under Margaret Thatcher.

Liberal Democrat leader Ming Campbell closed the conference with a powerful and passionate speech attacking the 'cosy consensus' between Labour and the Conservatives that has seen both parties saying the same things on the environment, taxes, pensions, nuclear power, tuition fees and Iraq.