Liberal / Lib Dem Manifestos

1979 Manifesto

• Representative Parliament and Government
• Electoral reform - Proportional system
• Open Government
• Accountable Government
• Reform Parliament
• Fixed dates for Parliamentary elections
• Replace the House of Lords for a democratic second chamber
• Decisions to be made at a local level
• Equality for men and women
• Legislation to protect individual rights
• Recruit more police
• Modernise prisons
• Increase non-custodial sentences
• Decrease restrictions on immigration
• Reduce inflation
• National minimum wage
• Reduce personal taxation
• Improve current housing
• Reduce class sizes in schools

1983 Manifesto

• Reduce unemployment
  
• Representative Parliament and Government
• Electoral reform - Proportional system
• Open Government
• Accountable Government
• Decentralise Government
  
• Reform Parliament
• Fixed dates for Parliamentary elections
• Replace the House of Lords for a democratic second chamber
• Compulsory secret ballots in trade unions
• Equality for men and women
• Recruit more police
• Modernise prisons
• Increase non-custodial sentences
• Support NATO whilst USSR have nuclear weapons
  
• Support ban of chemical weapons
  
• Push for multilateral disarment
  
• Cancel Trident
  
• A new Bill of Rights
  
• Prevent monopolies
• Reduce Government regulation in nationalised industries
  
• Decrease restrictions on immigration
• Reduce personal taxation
• Increase child benefit
  
• Up rate pensions twice a year
  
• Increase unemployment benefit
  
• Raise the upper limit of national insurance
  
• Improve current housing
• Invest in renewable energy
  
• Reduce class sizes in schools
• Oppotunity for a wider range of subjects
  
• Improve primary school teachers training
  
• Improve NHS standards
  

1987 Manifesto

• Representative Parliament and Government
• Electoral reform - Proportional system
• Open Government
• Accountable Government
• Reform Parliament
• Fixed dates for Parliamentary elections
• Replace the House of Lords for a democratic second chamber
• Devolve powers to the nations and regions of Britain
  
• Equality for men and women
• Legislation to protect individual rights
• Recruit more police
• Modernise prisons
• Increase non-custodial sentences
• Multilateral disarment
  
• Invest in renewable energy
  
• Reduce unemployment
  
• National minimum wage
• Reduce personal taxation
• Increase child benefit
  
• Increase the basic state pension
  
• Improve current housing
• Tackle inequalities in healthcare
  
• Reduce class sizes in schools
• Improve teacher training
  
• Uphold the right to pay for private education
  

1992 Manifesto

• Representative Parliament and Government
• Electoral reform - Proportional system
• Open Government
• Accountable Government
• Reform Parliament
• Fixed dates for Parliamentary elections
• Replace the House of Lords for a democratic second chamber
• Decisions to be made at a local level
• Invest in infrastructure
  
• Reduce unemployment
  
• Increase investment in education
• Protect private pensions
  
• Equality for men and women
• Create a new Bill of Rights which will centre a new written constitution
  
• Recruit more police
• Modernise prisons
• Increase non-custodial sentences
• Increase child benefit
  
• Increase the basic state pension
• Increase invalidity benefit
  
• Abolish the poll tax
  
• Break up monopolies
  
• Reduce inflation
• National minimum wage
• Reduce personal taxation
• Improve current housing
• Invest in renewable energy
• Get rid of nuclear fission power
  
• Reduce class sizes in schools
• Give teachers better training
  
• Increase oppotunities for higher education
  
• Abolish student loans
  
• Reduce inequalities within healthcare
• Reduce waiting lists in hospitals
  
• Support NATO, maintaining a minimum nuclear deterrent
  
• Restrict Trident
  

1997 Manifesto

• Representative Parliament and Government
• Increase funding for schools
  
• Reduce primary school class sizes
  
• Improve teacher training
• Strengthen school discipline
  
• Increase oppotunities for higher education
  
• Keep inflation low
  
• Invest in infrastructure
• Reduce unemployment
  
• Reduce monopolies
• New office to reulation privatised utilities
• Increase police force
  
• Build more housing
  
• Raise housing standards
  
• Alternatives to custodial sentences
  
• Cut hospital waiting lists
  
• Reduce inequalities within healthcare
  
• Raise standard of care in NHS
  
• Dcentralise power to regions, nations and communities
  
• Create a new Bill of Rights
  
• Open Government
  
• Reform Parliament
  
• Elected House of Lords
  
• Proportional representation for voting system
• Fix parliamentary terms
  
• Crack down on tax evasion
  
• New top rate tax of 50p
  
• Expand private pensions
  
• Equality for men and women
• Support NATO
• Sustain Trident until a stage where multilateral disarment can be achieved
  

Note that they no longer talk about incrreasing benefits.