Former Hackney MP Brian Sedgemore says that unfair and unjust taxation in Britain is creating a society "which has lost its moorings, lost its bearings and lost its civilised and civilising values"

Speaking at last week's Liberal Democrat Conference in Brighton, he criticised "the giants of public equity" who are said to pay less tax than their cleaners. He described them as "the loads of money brigade in the city who disrespect the rest of us and ignore the desperation of so many people."

And he was particularly critical of the Prime Minister for failing to tax these "bloated billionaires". Preferential treatment from the government has provided private equity bosses with "shed loads of money," according to Mr. Sedgemore. And he warned that Gordon Brown's new quango, the Business Council for Britain, "will advise the government on how these bosses can turn hundreds of millons of pounds in their personal bank accounts into billions.

"He's fighting for the bosses, not their cleaners," he said, "so as to prove that the super rich City tax dodgers have nothing to fear from Labour."

Lib Dem Leader, Sir Ming Campbell, chose Hackney's plight to demonstrate the growing gap between rich and poor in Britain. In his major speech to the party's annual conference in Brighton on Thursday, he accused the Government of failing to deliver on equal opportunities.

"Some people have the good fortune to be born into opportunity," he told the conference, "but for millions of others life is a great deal tougher. In London - the capital of one of the richest nations in the world - just six miles separate Hampstead from Hackney. But they might as well be in different countries.

"If you live in Hackney you are four times as likely to suffer from long-term unemployment as your neighbour in Hampstead. If you live in Hackney you are twice as likely to be permanently sick or disabled. And if you live in Hackney you are four times as likely to have no qualifications at all," he said.

"Who'd have thought it, that after a decade of Labour government, the gap between rich and poor in this country would be wider than it was when Labour came to office? Who'd have thought that after a decade of Labour government social mobility would be in decline?

"And who'd have thought that our country would languish - shamefully - at the bottom of the UNICEF league table for the well-being of children? That's the record of Gordon Brown and the Labour government."

And he warned: "The people out there know it. The one and half million families across this country who are waiting for social housing: they know it.

"The millions of older people who struggle to get by on inadequate pensions: they know it. The parents who worry that their background determines the quality of their childrens' education and their future prospects: they know it too."

He told delegates that freedom was a practical priority for people. "The freedom we get from good health, decent education and a clean environment," he said.

Liberal Democrats in the North East Constituency – Islington, Hackney and Waltham Forest, have selected Meral Ece as their candidate for the London Assembly elections due in May 2008.

Meral Ece, an experienced campaigner and councillor, has been a councillor in Islington since 2002, and was the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Services 2002-6. She has also been a councillor serving on Hackney Council from 1994- 2002, and is currently the Chair of Overview and Scrutiny for Islington Council.

Meral was the first female councillor from a Turkish Cypriot background to be elected to public office, and was the first Turkish Parliamentary Candidate in 2001.

Meral has had a successful career in the NHS as the chief officer of a Community Health Council, campaigning for better health services.

Commenting on her selection, Meral said:

"I am extremely proud to be selected as candidate to represent the people of Islington, Hackney and Waltham Forest. I was born here, and have lived in this part of London all my life. I have had the privilege to represent people in Hackney and Islington since 1994.

"All three of my children went to state schools in both Islington and Hackney, where my son is currently studying for his A levels at Stoke Newington Sixth Form.

"I am determined that the communities of North East London should be effectively represented at the Greater London Assembly, instead of having a GLA member representing the Mayor of London to the electorate

 "For too long the people of this part of London have not had an independent voice representing them at London level. If elected I will fight for the interests of all the communities within this constituency about the issues that concern them, like crime, safer streets, a greener and cleaner environment, social and affordable housing."

Ed Davey, MP for Kingston and Surbiton said, and Liberal Democrat Leader, Sir Menzies Campbell's, Chief of Staff, said:

"Meral has worked hard and effectively on behalf of the residents of Islington and Hackney. She is a well- known and very much respected figure in the Turkish Speaking communities. This selection is good news for the people of North East London, as they will have an opportunity to vote for a candidate who will put their interests first in the London Assembly, not those of Ken Livingstone."

Local Lib Dems have demanded council action as latest figures show that the number of streets that are "below an acceptable level of cleanliness" has risen in Hackney. Latest figures released by the Mayor of London show that 36% of land surveyed in the borough failed to meet the required standard, an increase of 6% on the previous year's figure.

Hackney Central Focus Team member Reuben Thompson said "Whilst we are pleased that the streets are significantly cleaner than a decade ago, it's disappointing that over a third of our streets do not meet the bare minimum requirement for cleanliness. Hackney's mayor consistently tells us that improvements are being made, but the latest figures show that, in reality, things are getting worse. There's a clear public health issue here as well as the visual aspect - stinking litter is a haven for pigeons and rats."

"Lib Dem controlled Sutton only had 6% of streets that were below the standard, and even neighbouring Lib Dem Islington, which faces many of the same problems we do here in Hackney was over a third better than Hackney at 24.4%. It's clear that Labour are going to have to clean up their act in Hackney".

The full figures for London can be found at this link.