My first year as Liberal Democrat leader*

10.22.00pm GMT Thu 18th Dec 2008

• [Dec 18]: ' . . RATHER than squander £12.5 bn on the temporary VAT cut we would use it to pay for a massive green stimulus . . [which] would help create jobs and would help give Britain a sustainable investment in public infrastructure.'

Nick Clegg writes: A year ago today I was elected as leader of our great party. It has been a challenging and exciting year. I am very proud that in that time we have made all the running on so many of the important issues facing us.

Across the country in my Town Hall meetings, of which I've now held more than 30, people regularly raise with me their concerns about housing repossessions, fuel poverty and personal debt. These are the bread and butter issues that I have been consistently raising in Prime Minister's Questions, and on which our party has long been leading the arguments and presenting possible ways forward.

Our solutions, so ably articulated by Vince Cable, to Britain's current economic woes have set the political and economic agenda. We have been proved right to argue that what struggling families and individuals need most is more money in their pockets. That is why we will continue to put the case for tax cuts for low and middle and income earners at every possible opportunity. There is no doubt that this message is resonating with large swathes of the country.

We have been vocal on other issues too. For years we have been recognised as leading the debate on environmental issues. I am determined that we continue with that leadership. The current economic climate represents not a threat to sound environmental policies but an opportunity. An opportunity to explain how Britain can lead the new Green economy and provide a new generation of green collar jobs. That is why today with Steve Webb I'm launching our 'Green Road out of the Recession'.

Rather than squander £12.5 bn on the temporary VAT cut we would use that to pay for a massive green stimulus. We would invest in an insulation and energy efficiency project for homes, schools and hospitals and would build 40,000 extra zero-carbon social homes. We would purchase 700 new train carriages, electrify the Great Western and Midland mainlines and would re-open 14 old train line and build 6 new ones. Our green stimulus would help create jobs and would help give Britain a sustainable investment in public infrastructure.

In short, we are the only party that is able to provide a real, green, solution to the problems that Britain faces. And we are also the only party which has taken a consistent and honest approach to the war in Iraq.

Gordon Brown yesterday announced the long overdue final plan for troop withdrawals from Iraq. No issue more clearly demonstrates how we have been consistently right on the issues that are of most significance to our country. The war in Iraq was illegal, immoral and simply wrong. And we were right to oppose it from the outset and to question the government every step of the way.

We are renewing our calls for an inquiry into the war. There remain many unanswered questions about how this government misled over the war and it is right that those responsible are held to account. You can sign our petition here. We were right on Iraq, just as we are right on the need to make Britain a freer, fairer and greener country. The year ahead will be an exciting and important one for our party. We will take crucial steps to winning power in order to fundamentally change the way Britain is run and the way people are treated.

The Labour and Conservative parties have consistently failed this country. They offer more of the same: only we offer hope for a different, better future.??

Nick Clegg was elected leader of the Liberal Democrats exactly one year ago, 18th December, 2007.

My first year as Liberal Democrat leader*

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