Failing to pay the minimum wage is illegal and unacceptable. Yesterday, the Department for Business named and shamed 70 employers who have ignored the rules.

Between them these 70 employers owed workers a total of over £157,000 in arrears and have been charged financial penalties totalling over £70,000. This brings the number of companies named and shamed to 163 in total.

Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander announced details of a plan to raise an extra £1bn from a supplementary corporation tax charge applied to banks to help finish the job of eliminating the deficit.

The supplementary charge will be in addition to the existing Bank Levy. The Lib Dems will push for this measure to be included in the forthcoming budget. If resisted by the Conservatives, then the proposal will be in the party's manifesto.

Plans to double the UK’s production of renewable electricity by the end of the next parliament and make Britain zero carbon by 2050 - ending the UK’s adverse impact on climate change for good were released by the Liberal Democrats.

• Announcement comes as Lib Dems set out Five Green Laws over five days
• Lib Dems to guarantee nature and the environment are not ignored in the election after putting green issues on front page of the manifesto 
• Party plan to double the UK’s production of renewable electricity by end of next parliament

Over the last five years, one of the Liberal Democrats biggest priorities in government has been to ensure that every child – whatever their background or circumstances - gets an equal shot at the successful future they deserve.

In only 8 weeks time parents will be able to share up to 50 weeks of Parental Leave. This is an incredible step as it means285,000 working couples a year are expected to be eligible for Shared Parental Leave. 

Ed Miliband stated on Monday that he would introduce 80 000 apprenticeships a year. This is pathetic next to the 2 million high quality, high level apprenticeships created by Vince Cable and the Lib Dems in government.

Two million is twice the amount produced by Labour when they were in power.