Liberal Democrats

Where does the Liberal Democratic Party stand on the 3 emergencies facing us today and the 2 solutions we must implement?
The LibDems are committed to tackling inequality and point to increasing inequality as one of the negative effects Brexit will have on the UK if it goes ahead.

The LibDems are also serious about tackling the climate crisis, but argue that this cannot be done through "a socialist planned economy" but only through "tougher regulation".

In terms of nuclear weapons, the LibDems want to cut the UK's nuclear force from 4 submarines to 3, but otherwise remain fully committed to Britain's nuclear weapons while at the same time "pursuing multilateral nuclear disarmament" in line with the UK's legal obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

See Liberal Democrat 2019 Manifesto

Inequality:
1. Progressive tax code - 1
The LibDems want make the tax system "fair" by restoring corporation tax to its previous level (20%) and taxing capital gains the same as other income. It is not clear how other tax reforms they are proposing, such as abolishing the marriage tax allowance or business rates would help reduce inequality.
2. Global agreement on tax havens - 1
The LibDems talk about tax havens as a problem and propose changing the "place of establishment" rules to crack down on this, but don't mention the need for a global agreement to be able to enforce payment of tax.
3. Create 1 million decent jobs - 0
The LibDems do not propose creating any jobs as such, but do propose a "living wage" for all workers.
4. Subsidise fossil-free homes - 2
The LibDems have plans to subsidise energy conservation measures in low-income housing. They also propose cutting VAT on new electric vehicles from 20% to 5%. These measures, however, would fall far short of the subsidies needed to prevent people from ending up less well-off than they are now by the transition to a green economy.
5. Improved social services - 4
The Liberal Democrat Party has a detailed and costed plan for improving social services and the 'safety net' for those most in need. Whether it can be delivered is another question.
6. Commit to SDG goals for 2030 - 4
The LibDems are committed to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and promise to use the UK's 0.7% of GDP going to support international development to more effectively achieve the goals.

Climate:
1. Fossil-free electricity by 2030 - 2
The LibDems plan to have 80% fossil-free electricity by 2030. This is an admirable goal, but not enough to achieve the 45% reduction targets needed by 2030.
2. Electric vehicles by 2030 - 3
The want all new vehicles to be electric by 2030. The question is how that will be achieved without significant investment and financial incentives for people to make the transition.
3. Fossil-free new builds by 2025 and retrofits by 2050 - 3
The LibDems aim for "near-zero" carbon emissions from buildings by 2030, which is a very ambitious goal. They also talk about "all new homes" having rooftop solar by 2030. However it is unclear how this will be achieved without significant investment and financial incentives.
4. Phase out of HFCs - 0
No mention of HFC refrigerants.
5. Double forest cover - 2
The LibDems have promised to plant 60 million trees a year for the next 10 years. This is equivalent to re-foresting about 32,000 hectares per year which the CCC had recommended earlier, but is well short of the 50,000 hectares per year they now recommend.
6. Strengthen Paris Agreement - 0
There has much talk in the LibDem manifesto about meeting the targets in the existing Paris Agreement, but little discussion about re-negotiating that Agreement in line with the latest IPCC report which makes it clear that the Paris targets are insufficient to prevent climate catastrophe.

Nuclear weapons
1. Renounce pressing the button - 0
Jo Swinson is fully supportive of the doctrine of so-called nuclear "deterrence" - which bases the nation's defence strategy on the threat to annihilate whole populations and potentially the whole human race.
2. Affirm existing disarm obligations - 2
The LibDems support official UK policy to work for the elimination of all nuclear weapons worldwide, in line with the UK's legal obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). There is no indication of what they would do to implement that policy.
3. Sign the Nuclear Ban Treaty - 0
The LibDems do not, as yet, support signing the Nuclear Ban Treaty.
4. Remove from operational status - 0
There is no discussion on steps to reduce the nuclear danger in line with the Nuclear Ban Treaty.
5. Negotiate timetable to disarm - 0
There is no discussion on negotiating a timetable to disarm in line with the Nuclear Ban Treaty.
6. Dismantle weapons by 2030 - 0
No discussion of this deadline, or any deadline.

Grading system - how the parties were judged