Lib Dems pledge to scrap Child Trust Fund

The party has pledged to redirect money from current government programmes in order to spend more on childcare and schools.

Other commitments from the party include cutting infant class sizes to 15 and scrapping the current plans to extend the education leaving age to 18.

Deputy leader Vince Cable said: "These choices are only the start, and in the manifesto we will show how we will offer and pay for a set of policies to help the millions struggling in the face of the recession and increase opportunities for all people.

"But I strongly believe that, by demonstrating not only what we would do in government but how we would do it, it gives our policies the credibility that people both expect and deserve."

The party has said it has identified £20bn that is currently being spent by the government that is "wasteful", which willl be reallocated to Liberal Democrat priorities.

Cuts to advertising, IT and central administration will be among the ways in which the party gathers money for its spending plans.