The battle against poverty and ignorance is integral to what it means to be a Liberal Democrat. That is why Liberal Democrats should be proud that one of the Coalition Government’s main priorities is closing the attainment gap between the poorest children and their more well off peers.

By getting things right from the off we can make sure our youngsters are ready to learn when they start school so that they get the most out of their education. To do this, Liberal Democrats in the Coalition are revolutionising the early start our children get in life – there will be more free childcare, it will be higher quality, and it will be more flexible for parents.

This fits with Nick Clegg’s emphasis for the Coalition, announced 2 weeks ago, on social mobility. It is distinctively Liberal in that it does not simply throw money at institutions, or dictate as Labour did (although with some commendable work on schools after 1997). It is distinctively Liberal in that it does not leave everything up to whatever the individual could afford (as would an unfettered Conservative government). It allows for the necessary balance between the state and the individual, that is the real ground of everyday, working politics.