MPs, MSPs and delegates at last weekend’s Liberal Democrat Scottish Conference have backed the local community’s fight to save the lane.

Alistair Carmichael MP, Charles Kennedy MP and Hugh O’Donnell MSP have already been to the lane in person to give their support, as well as Scottish Lib Dem Leader Tavish Scott.

Alistair Carmichael MP, Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, said:

“Over 20 years ago, when I was a student at Glasgow University, I spent countless enjoyable hours browsing through the treasures of Voltair and Rousseau bookshop in Otago Lane. I well understand the outrage of local residents at the threat to this iconic West End lane posed by such an inappropriate development. Glasgow City Council should act to support character of the West End by refusing planning permission for this development rather than contributing to the destruction of what makes this part of the City special.”

Alison McInnes MSP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Local Government, said:

“I congratulate Katy Gordon and the Save Otago Lane campaigners for their sterling efforts to protect a unique part of Glasgow’s West End. The planning reform Liberal Democrats introduced when we were in govenrment in Holyrood was specifically designed to give greater weight to the local plan, such as the council’s Glasgow City Plan, and a greater weight to community opinion.

It’s clear that the local community doesn’t want this overdevelopment and wants Glasgow City Council to stick to the principles set out in its own City Plan. The council and the developers must listen to what local people are telling them and abandon this overdevelopment.”

In the understatement of the year, the sitting MP  ‘expects real challenge from the Liberal Democrats’.

Speaking to the Sunday Herald, Katy commented:

“The key issues are how Labour has let down the people of Glasgow, both nationally, by failing to forsee the credit crunch and take preventive measures, and locally, by ignoring widespread protests on school closures. People are fed up with being taken for granted and the scandal of MP expenses has only fuelled their determination for change.”

Liberal Democrats in Glasgow North have welcomed the launch of the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called ‘Make it Happen’, the paper will be debated at the party’s conference in Bournemouth in September.

In ‘Make it Happen’ the Liberal Democrats say:

• They will cut taxes for ordinary families
• They will switch taxes from people to pollution – so it pays to go green
• To improve standards in education, they will fund extra help for those who need it most
• They will put Britain at the heart of Europe to make us a force for good in the world
• They will stop ID cards so we can keep control of our privacy
• They will change the voting system so everyone’s voice counts
• They will bring communities together with local people in charge

Katy Gordon, Spokesperson for Glasgow North, said:

“I am delighted to be able to back ‘Make it Happen’. It sets out how the Liberal Democrats will run Britain.

“No resident of Glasgow North has escaped the rising cost of food and fuel. The credit crunch is biting hard and local people are feeling the pinch.

“Nick Clegg has set out how we can help ordinary people through cutting taxes on those on low and middle incomes. Thousands of people in Glasgow North will benefit from this.

“We are taking the plans in ‘Make it Happen’ to the people of Glasgow North during the summer to get their response. And in September, we will be heading to the Liberal Democrats’ conference where we are looking forward to taking part in the debate.”

On 6th April, Labour doubled the starting rate of income tax from 10p to 20p in the pound. Previously, a 10p rate was paid on the first £2230 of taxable income. As a result, instead of taking £223 in income tax on this portion of people’s wages, Gordon Brown’s government is taking £446.

Though the standard rate of income tax has been cut from 22p to 20p in the pound, a single person with no children would have to be earning over £18,500 to be better off under the tax changes.

“Things have gone seriously wrong when Labour has pushed up taxes on people on low incomes to pay for tax cuts for the better off,” said Katy Gordon, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Glasgow North “This is a case of Labour robbing taxpayer Peter to pay taxpayer Paul.

Thousands of residents on lower incomes in Glasgow North are now receiving sharply increased tax demands at the same time as the council tax bills are arriving. And many are facing big increases in bills for gas, electricity and transport.

Gordon Brown announced his tax grab a year ago. But in that time Labour has done nothing to reduce the impact of their tax demands. It seems Labour has totally lost touch with the reality of ordinary people’s lives. Labour no longer appears to be on the side of ordinary people.

Those worst hit by the tax changes include:

• A single person with no children earning less than £18,500 will be a net loser, by up to £232 a year.
• People taking early retirement with a taxable income of less than £8,000 will lose, by up to £232 a year.

Liberal Democrat plans to cut the tax burden for those on low income include scrapping council tax and replacing it with a local tax based on ability to pay, and cutting the standard rate of national income tax by 4p in the pound, paid for by closing tax loopholes used by the wealthy and by increasing green taxes, such as the duties paid by the most polluting vehicles and those who travel in the most polluting aircraft

You can download an MP3 of the interview.