Shipley and Keighley Liberal Democrats

Watch as Nick Clegg takes your questions live on Call Clegg.

Transcript

This is LBC Call Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg takes your calls with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast. Call 0345 6060973 tweet at lbc973 text 84850. This is Call Clegg on LBC.

NC: It's 9.30 on 28of August and that means it's time for a new season. A new season how about that of Call Clegg with me Nick Clegg here on LBC with of course Nick Ferrari, taking your questions for the next half an hour so if you want to get in touch call on 0345 6060973 or email at nickclegg@lbc.co.uk and as ever you can watch on the website, lbc.co.uk. So let's go straight to the first caller, Andrea in Marylebone. Hello Andrea.

The last Autumn Conference before next year's General Election is fast approaching and I wanted to take this opportunity to encourage members to get in touch with us and join the debate the party is currently having about our Manifesto for May 2015.

Thousands of members have already submitted some of their thoughts and ideas for what the next Liberal Democrat Manifesto should contain, and as Chair of the Manifesto Working Group, I know how important these contributions have been for the process so far. One of our great strengths as a party is that our policy is developed democratically by our members. That means we need your involvement and your ideas.

Nick Clegg has announced today that the Government will continue current levels of funding for the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew until at least April 2015.

The £1.5 million funding will help the world renowned scientific research institute to continue its work. It will help to secure a number of jobs and enable Kew to undertake vital research.

Liberal Democrats will provide 15 hours free childcare every week for all two year olds, under plans announced today.

This pre-manifesto commitment builds on the expansion of childcare as delivered by Liberal Democrats in government. In

Currently all three and four year olds and two year olds from the most hard pressed homes are eligible for 15 hours free childcare each week. Liberal Democrats want to go further so that all children have the opportunity to get the best start in life.

Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander is to reveal a significant blow to the Scottish nationalists' currency assertion from a leading figure in EU monetary policy.

In a speech to Chatham House this evening on Scotland's place in the world, Danny will highlight his correspondence with European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro, Olli Rehn.

Liberal Democrat Minister for International Development Lynne Featherstone has announced that Britain will provide further life-saving support for the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan.

Since fighting broke out in December 2013, 1.3 million South Sudanese people have become internally displaced, with more than 400,000 fleeing to neighbouring countries. There is also a food crisis affecting almost one in three South Sudanese people.

Liberal Democrats in government are delivering free school meals for all infant school pupils - now we plan to go one step further and extend the scheme to all primary school pupils.

Following evaluation of this policy, the free school meals scheme would be extended, as resources allow, while ensuring that school food standards apply to all schools, including free schools and academies.

The Liberal Democrat manifesto will include plans for five new laws to protect the environment, it has been announced today.

The manifesto plans include include legal targets for clean air and water, an end to dirty coal power stations and an ambitious decarbonisation target for the electricity sector.

Households could save at least £100 a year by improving the energy efficiency of their homes, under Lib Dem manifesto plans announced today.

The Liberal Democrats would reward people who improve the energy efficiency of their homes by giving them a council tax discount and slashing their energy bills - a double bill cut.

Spreading opportunity through education will be at the heart of the Liberal Democrat pre-manifesto.

The 80-page document will form the backbone of the party's 2015 election campaign.

The party's focus will be a 'manifesto for the next generation' with a host of policies aimed at improving the life chances of children and young people.