Clegg pledges better schools and more efficient hospitals at Manifesto Conference

3.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 14th Jan 2008

Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Plans to liberate schools from excessive state interference and guarantee hospital treatment to patients within a set time have been set out by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg. Speaking at the One Day manifesto conference in London on Saturday, Mr Clegg argued that central government's task is to allocate funding for public services fairly to guarantee equal treatment and to ensure good minimum standards. Mr Clegg also set out plans for a new generation of schools free of government interference. In the NHS, Mr Clegg said patients should be guaranteed treatment within a certain period, provided through the private sector if necessary. He also called for patients to be given their own health budgets to spend on treatment for long-term and chronic conditions.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said "It shouldn't be acceptable that we have such low standards for GCSE pass scores that the Government reports as 'passes' some grades which we know are in reality of no value in today's labour market. Every patient should have a guarantee of treatment within a specified waiting time - and to drive the NHS to deliver that, everyone should have the right to private treatment, paid for by the NHS if the waiting time's not met."