A message from Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg on the launch of the Lib Dem manifesto for the 2010 General Election.

"Dear Friend,

This morning I have launched the Liberal Democrat General Election manifesto.

Every manifesto needs to have an idea at its heart. The basic idea that animates this manifesto is something I have always believed. I believe every single person is extraordinary.

The tragedy is that we have a society where too many people never get to fulfill that extraordinary potential.

My view – the liberal view – is that government’s job is to help them to do it. Not to tell people how to live their lives. But to make their choices possible, to release their potential, no matter who they are.

The way to do that is to take power away from those who hoard it. To challenge vested interests. To break down privilege. To clear out the bottlenecks in our society that block opportunity and block progress. And so give everyone a chance to live the life they want.

There’s a simple word for those ideas, and it’s a word this manifesto is built on: fairness.

There are four themes spelt out in detail in our manifesto. They will make Britain the fair country people want it to be. They are:

- Fair taxes that put money back in your pocket.
- A fair chance for every child.
- A fair future, creating jobs by making Britain greener.
- A fair deal for you from politicians.

You can find our manifesto here:
www.libdems.org.uk/manifesto"