Liberal Democrat manifesto: 2010 general election party policy

Liberal Democrats have said they are "committed to setting out the tough choices we are prepared to take so that we can balance the country’s books."

Some of their key financial policies include:

Breaking up the banks and getting them lending again
Introducing a Banking Levy so that banks pay for the financial support they have received
Setting a £400 pay rise cap for all public sector workers
Restoring the link between the basic state pension and earnings

Economic Policy in depth

Prioritising illness prevention
Giving every patient the right to register with the GP they choose
Cutting the size of the Department of Health by half
Providing guaranteed respite care for the one million carers who work the youngest hours
Prioritise dementia research
Improving access to counselling for people with mental health issues
Reforming payments to GPs

Health Policy in depth

The party says that "very child is different, so schools need to be free to teach children in different ways and get the very best from them."

Cutting class sizes to ensure children get the individual attention they need
Scrapping university tuition fees during first degrees
Investing £2.5 billions in schools, targeted to help struggling pupils
Axing the National Curriculum and replacing it with a slimmed-down 'Minimum Curriculum Entitlement'
Scale back Key State 2 tests for 11-year-olds
Creating a General Diploma to brings GCSEs, A-levels and vocational qualifications together
Reforming league tables
Guaranteeing Special Educational Needs (SEN) statements for all five-year-olds
Giving schools the freedom to make the right choices for their pupils
Improving teacher training by increasing the size of the both the Graduate Teacher Programme and Teach First
Setting aside money for schools to increase the energy efficiency of their buildings

Education Policy in depth

Specific tax policies include:

Working with Britain's European neighjbours to create thousands of new jobs
Working through the EU for stricter international regulation of financial services and banking
Keeping pressure on for reform of agricultural subsidies
Campaigning for continuing reform of the EU budget
Making the EU use its collective weight effectively in other areas of foreign policy
Pushing for a co-ordinated EU-wide asylum system
Promoting the transition to a low-carbon economy in Europe
Boosting investment in clean energy by reforming the EU emissions trading scheme
Working for the adoption of 'quick win' measures such as reducing the use of HFCs

Liberal Democrats would "make the welfare of the men and women of our armed forces a priority."

Their key defence policies are:

Cancelling Eurofighter Tranche 3b
Holding an immediate Strategic Security and Defence Review
Ruling out the like-for-like replacement of Trident nuclear weapons system - planning to save £100bn
Giving a pay rise to the lower ranks to bring them in link with other emergency services
Doubling the rate of modernisation of forces' family homes
Reducing the numbers of MoD staff and top brass officers
Military action against Iran ruled out categorically

Insulating all homes to a good standard within 10 years
Setting a target for 40 per cent of electricity will come from renewable sources by 2020 rising to 100 per cent by 2050
Investing up to £400 million in refurbishing shipyards so they can manufacture offshore wind turbines
Transforming electricity networks
Launching a one-year Eco Cash-Back scheme
Setting aside money for schools that want to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings
Investing £140 million in a bus scrappage scheme to replace old, polluting buses
Blocking any new coal-fired power stations
Rejecting a new generation of nuclear power stations

Environmental Policy in depth

Liberal Democrats would "put British values of decency and the rule of law back at the heart of our foreign policy"

Specific foreign policies include:

Increasing the UK's aid budget to reach the UN target of 0.7pc of GNI by 2013
Holding the G8 to its Gleneagles pledges on aid, including the 0.7pc target
Working with other countries to establish new sources of development financing
Supporting reform of global financial institutions such as the World Bank and IMF
Supporting a global fund for social protection to help developing countries build viable welfare systems
Pushing for a renewed international effort on debt
Supporting 100pc cancellation of the unpayable debts of the world's poorest countries
Supporting the establishment of an International Arms Sale Treaty

Investing £140 million in a bus scrappage scheme to remove old, polluting buses
Cutting rail fares
Making Network Rail refund a third of the ticket price where replacement bus services are used
Switching traffic from road to rail by investing in local rail improvements
Canceling plans for a third runway at Heathrow and any expansion of other airports in the south east
Undertaking preparations for the introduction of road pricing in a second parliament
Introducing a rural fuel discount scheme

Transport Policy in depth