The Conservative manifesto in brief
The Conservative manifesto in brief
By Matthew Clifton
The general election is not far and whilst recently polling hasn’ t been particularly accurate recently, after it had remain to win the EU referendum and didn’ t see the majority win for the Conservatives in 2015. Polls have looked more optimistic for Labour with the latest YouGov poll( 25 th-26 th May) shows Conservative( 43 %), Labour( 36 %), Lib Dem( 10 %), UKIP( 4 %). Meaning Labour are just 6 points behind, a slight decrease from the previous poll.
However, with the campaigns back on after the Manchester attacks, the momentum is still with Jeremy Corbyn and Labour. The manifestos are highly important and set out what each government will look like in power. This is a brief overview of the Conservative manifesto.
Health and social care
Increase NHS spending of £ 8 billion per year by 2022 / 23, ensure that 95 % of people waiting in A & E are seen within 4 hours and a change in social care funding, that will make sure wealthy elderly people pay for their care.
The policies do sound good on paper, however, when pressed Theresa May couldn’ t say where the £ 8 billion will come from and after admitting it wouldn’ t be enough to make sure the NHS is run correctly, she merely stated that the money will come from‘ other sources’. In other words, the money will come from further privatisation.
he social care reforms, will see the savings threshold raised from £ 23,250 to £ 100,000, except they would include assets( owned homes) if individuals need care within their own home. They have since added a cap but haven’ t stated how much that cap would be. If you would like
to read more click here.
Education
Increase spending by £ 4 billion by 2022, scrap free school lunches but offer free breakfast in primary schools, allow grammar schools to pick pupils based on ability. Not much analysis needs to be done on this as it is evident of their plans.
The Institute of Fiscal Studies( IFS) have stated that by 2022, the Conservatives spending plans for education will result in a drop in real-term funding per pupil. Plus, if you consider their lift on the selfban under David Cameron of no new grammar schools, they are pushing towards a return of a more selective education system, based on ability when leaving primary school. This doesn’ t consider the children who develop later.
The Economy
Raise the threshold that will of the amount that people earn before paying tax to £ 12,500, only charge people earning over £ 50,000 the highest tax and stop benefits such as the winter fuel allowance to wealthy pensioners. They have also said they wouldn’ t raise VAT.
The raising of the threshold is a good policy, however, it doesn’ t combat the issue of low wages, which it will see the lowest incomes gain hardly anything from it. Theresa May has also refused to rule out a raise in income tax itself, if they did raise income tax, it would cancel out any gains for the poorest from the increased threshold. They haven’ t defined what they would consider a‘ wealthy pensioner’ which has increased fears of a broad spectrum hit, which would see vulnerable pensioners hit by the removal of the winter fuel allowance.
Business
They will continue with their plan to cut corporate tax to 17 % by 2020, increase the national living wage to 60 % of the average earning wage by 2020 and ensure businesses have access to cheap power.
Little said on how they would combat tax avoidance and whilst the corporation tax is designed to increase our competitiveness across the world, it fails to address the issue as to why we are uncompetitive( we have an ungenerous set of capital allowances, which sees our tax base as very uncompetitive). It could also see us become a tax haven, as previously touted by Phillip Hammond.
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Issue # 7, 6th June 2017
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