Former Westminster insiders, George Galloway and Robert Kilroy-Silk, yesterday launched their respective party manifestos with policies pitched at poorer voters who deserve a "fairer" deal.

Veritas proposes a 22 per cent flat rate of income tax, payable by anyone on more than £12,000 a year, compared with the current £4,895 of earnings not taxed.

Respect has plans for more affordable housing and transport, improved pensions, more schools and a better-funded NHS, as well as a higher minimum wage and no top-up fees.

Both parties are hoping to pick up the votes of those disaffected by the major parties.

Galloway used his party's launch to condemn Labour as a "government of liars" and went on to compare them to the Nazi propopganda chief Joseph Goebbels.