Today’s high cost of childcare means that too many parents are unable to return to work without risking real financial hardship. With the average cost of 25 hours nursery care for a child under two running to more than £6500 per year, many parents are effectively excluded from work due to the burden of childcare costs.

A Liberal Democrat government will build a fairer economy by providing free, high-quality childcare for every child aged two to four, for 35 hours a week, 48 weeks a year. The offer is extended to children aged between 9 and 24 months where their parents are in work. 

“The choice for parents now is simply not good enough. That is why Liberal Democrats are proposing a transformational change to our economy, by providing working parents with free childcare from when their child is 9 months old.”

The Liberal Democrats will make sure that childcare providers are adequately funded, increasing the rates paid by government to match the actual cost of nursery provision. This will be funded by fair tax changes, ensuring that big businesses pay their share, and aligning the tax treatment of income from wealth with income from work.
 
We recognise that laws need to change so that parents have the chance to work with greater flexibility. As part of these proposals, employers will be required to advertise jobs flexibly, unless there are clear business reasons why they cannot.

The Liberal Democrat plans to transform the provision of early years support are at the heart of the our commitment to build a brighter future for the next generation. 

Learn more about our Plan for the Future here. 

We are in the middle of a climate emergency and the world needs urgent action.

Only the Liberal Democrats have a bold and credible plan to tackle the climate emergency.

It’s front and centre of our plan, because we can’t build a brighter future unless we save our planet.

Throughout his career, Boris Johnson has developed a reputation for being less than respectful in the way he speaks (or writes) about women. 

Now, as he faces a general election campaigning against a strong leader and feminist, Jo Swinson, we look back at just a few of the times Boris has shown how he really feels about women.

1. Revealing insults of choice

Earlier this year, Johnson made headlines after redacted documents released to courts in Edinburgh and London revealed some choice words about former Prime Minister David Cameron. While the original phrase was redacted, a full copy of the paper was leaked to Sky News, reading: “The whole September session is a rigmarole introduced by girly swot Cameron to show the public that MPs were earning their crust.”

“The whole September session is a rigmarole introduced by girly swot Cameron to show the public that MPs were earning their crust.”

2. Purile election promises

The desperation was palpable during Boris’s campaign to become the Conservative MP for Henley in the 2005 general election. In a bid to win over supporters, he promised that ‘voting Tory will cause your wife to have bigger breasts’. Somehow, I can’t quite picture that painted across the side of a campaign bus. 

3. Creepy comments about female athletes

In the summer of 2012, London was riding high as hosts of the Olympic Games. As Mayor of London, Johnson had so many exciting things to talk about – from Team GB winning 65 medals to the brief Spice Girls reunion at the Closing Ceremony.  Instead, Boris decided to voice his thoughts on the professional volleyball players, saying: “As I write these words there are semi-naked women playing beach volleyball in the middle of the Horse Guards Parade immortalised by Canaletto… They are glistening like wet otters and the water is splashing off the brims of the spectators’ sou’westers.”

“As I write these words there are semi-naked women playing beach volleyball in the middle of the Horse Guards Parade.”

4. The infamous letterbox column

Given his above feelings towards women’s clothing, of course Johnson had to share his wildly offensive views on burkas. Writing in the Daily Telegraph last August, he said: “I would… say that it is absolutely ridiculous that people should choose to go around looking like letterboxes.”

His comments were widely criticised by Muslim women across the UK, but despite having many opportunities to apologise for his comments, Boris never has.

5. Attacking Trump’s opponent

Despite the fact that the Prime Minister is clearly a big fan of Donald Trump and his authoritarian values, he clearly doesn’t feel the same way about 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. 

Back in 2007, Boris compared Hillary to ‘a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital’ in a column for the Telegraph. He went on to claim that she carried out her role as First Lady like ‘Lady Macbeth, stamping her heel, bawling out subordinates and frisbeeing ashtrays at her erring husband’. Seems like Johnson isn’t a fan of women with power. 

Johnson has previously compared Hillary Clinton to ‘a sadistic nurse in a mental hospital’.

6. Backwards marriage views 

Johnson gave us a peek into his regressive views on marriage in March last year, when he referred to the very well-known MP Emily Thornberry as Lady Nugee. While using Emily’s husband’s surname to address her is hardly his worst crime, it’s a great example of how stuck in the past our Prime Minister is.

7. Disgraceful voting record on abortion

While it’s easy to disregard Boris Johnson’s comments about women as stupid, it’s important to remember that his beliefs have an impact on our country. 

As an MP, he has always abstained from Westminster votes on abortion, including those related to Northern Ireland, where abortion was only decriminalised in October 2019. 

Sadly, it seems the Boris Johnson doesn’t have that much respect for women. But luckily for us, we have the chance to elect a Prime Minister who truly believes in equality (and the fact that she’s a woman is just a bonus!)

If you need a palette cleanser after reading this, check out the Liberal Democrats’ Plan for the Future – where, with Jo Swinson as PM, we can build a brighter future. 

Today, Jo Swinson is taking her Leader’s Tour of the UK to Scotland to say loud and clear that the Liberal Democrats will protect Scotland’s place at the heart of the EU and in the UK.

A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Brexit and keep Scotland in the UK. At this general election we’re offering voters a real way to stop the chaos.

“The four nations of the United Kingdom are stronger when they work together so we should work together to stop Brexit.”

On day one, a Lib Dem majority government will stop Brexit so that we can focus on tackling the big issues facing the UK right now. We will use the £50 billion Remain Bonus to invest in our public services and tackling inequality.

Once we stop Brexit, we can build a brighter future; one that includes our whole United Kingdom.

The Liberal Democrats will stop another independence referendum in Scotland and stop the division, chaos, new borders and economic cost that independence would cause.

Learn more about our Plan for the Future here.  

Thank you for offering to make some calls for the Liberal Democrats! Before you get started, here are some handy tips and tricks…