25/11/2019
The Conservative Party have launched their 2019 general election manifesto, which is set out in 59 pages. Here, I will refer to some of their key proposals.
1) Increase the number of nurses by 50,000
The Conservatives have pledged to boost nurse numbers by 50,000 by 2023. They suggest they will train more nurses by reintroducing maintenance grants, which were scrapped in 2017, of between £5,000 and £8,000 a year for students. The removal of these grants led to a fall in the number of applicants for nursing degrees.
They are not, however, proposing the reintroduction of free tuition for nursing students.
In spite of the anti-immigration stance that helped Johnson and his pals win the 2016 Brexit referendum, the Conservative plans will rely heavily on foreign recruitment.
2) Leave the European Union in January
The Prime Minister has, of course, pledged to 'get Brexit done' previously.
His 'promise' to get Brexit done in January, if he wins a majority on December 12th, is hardly surprising. Whilst Johnson might claim that 'getting Brexit done' will end the political divisions in the country, this seems extremely unlikely.
The Conservatives are also promising to negotiate a trade deal with the EU next year, and state they will not extend the post-Brexit transition period beyond December 2020. Given how long trade deals generally take to agree and the evidence of their inability to deliver miracles, the chances of Johnson and his team achieving success are slim.
3) No increase in personal taxation
The Conservative Party manifesto didn't promise significant tax cuts, but did stress that there would be no rises in personal taxation.
This was covered by their pledge not to raise the rates of income tax, National Insurance or VAT. They have also said they will raise the National Insurance threshold to £9,500 next year and aim to eventually raise this to £12,500. However, the threshold does usually increase over time anyway and this is not the significant windfall that the Prime Minister has suggested. His early claims that the initial increase would save people £500 per annum were obviously false and were simply further evidence of how Johnson will try and mislead the electorate.
4) No-one will sell their home to pay for care
Boris Johnson's manifesto includes a section on social care, with references to dementia and the aim that no-one should have to sell their home to pay for care. However, the document contains little more than woolly statements.
Experts warn that the extra £1bn a year promised for the next five years won't be enough to make a real difference, not least because the money is to be shared with children's services, which are also overstretched.
It is difficult to see how the Conservatives are going to deliver on their pledge.
5) Reach net zero by 2050
In June, the Conservatives set a goal of cutting emissions to virtually zero by 2050. And they've created a boom in cheap offshore wind energy. However, interim emissions targets are already being missed. In addition, scientists warn that climate change needs far more urgent attention.
As a result, the Liberal Democrats and SNP are proposing a slightly earlier clean-up date of 2045, whilst Labour says it should be by the 2030s. The Greens, understandably, are pushing for the net zero target to be achieved by 2030.
Given Johnson's habitual lies and the fact they are already missing interim targets, it is difficult to believe that he can lead a government which will achieve what is needed.
6) Introduce a points-based immigration system
The 2017 Conservative manifesto repeated the party's aim of reducing net migration to less than 100,000. It was a much-criticised target that the government never managed to achieve.
Johnson has dropped this in favour of an Australian style points-based system, saying he plans to attract 'the brightest and the best' and he assures us that numbers will come down.
However, the UK already has a points-based immigration system, which is used to regulate immigration to the UK from outside the EU. It was phased in between 2008 and 2010 and replaced all previous work permits and entry schemes.
And yet, the majority of immigrants to the UK have almost always come from outside the EU.
The Conservatives say that fewer lower skilled migrants will be allowed into the UK. They might argue this will mean less pressure on public services, however, it is these public services which frequently rely on migrant labour.
In addition, a huge number of the jobs performed by EU immigrants are those which many of our own citizens seem to believe are below them. Whether it is hospital porters, fruit pickers, office cleaners, car washers or other tasks deemed too 'menial' for them, we have relied on EU migrants for many years.
As a result of the xenophobic campaigns run by Vote Leave and Leave.EU, net migration from the EU is falling and we are already suffering as a result; even through simple things like fruit rotting because we haven't got the 'unskilled' workers to pick fruit for us.
Of course, when I say unskilled, what I actually mean is 'willing'. We have British citizens who are adequately 'unskilled', but they appear unwilling to take on the work and, at the same time, unhappy to let others help us.
7) Continue the roll out of universal credit
The Conservatives have confirmed their intention to continue with universal credit.
They are, of course, trying to win some favour by announcing that the freeze on benefits has ended, allowing a 1.7% increase in the money claimants get in April 2020. They have also pledged to reduce the number of reassessments that people with disabilities face for their benefits, with a national strategy for disabled people promised by the end of 2020.
However, there is no evidence that they can be trusted with such pledges and they have provided no information as to how ongoing complaints about the failings of universal credit will be addressed.
8) Create 250,000 extra childcare places
Labour and the Liberal Democrats are campaigning on the promise of multi-billion pound childcare policies for pre-school children. The Conservatives, on the other hand, are targeting those parents struggling to find affordable childcare to fill the gaps between work, school hours and the long summer holidays.
The Tories are aiming to win votes with their offer to create 250,000 extra childcare places during the holidays for primary school-age children, which would be about 5% of the age group. It is said to come with a cost of £250m per year for three years, with an additional £250m required for one-off costs such as buildings.
One would hope that this would not be a policy sufficient to win many votes; but it is one which they will claim shows their commitment to families.
9) Student finances
The Conservatives are not offering much to tempt those for whom university fees are a major priority. They may have said they would look carefully at the suggestions in a review into student finance and university and college funding, led by Philip Augar, but they have not really shown themselves to be a friend of those in further education.
They are suggesting that the current freeze in English tuition fees will be maintained. However, the other parties are offering far more.
The Liberal Democrats are offering a 'training wallet' and Labour are promising six years of free adult learning, each as part of their ideas for lifelong learning.
More importantly, perhaps, the other political parties have substantial proposals in respect of university fees.
The Tories are somewhat behind the curve here.
10) A new rail line from Manchester to Leeds
A major part of the Conservative's transport pledges is the building of a new rail line linking Manchester and Leeds. It is fair to say that the transport infrastructure in Northern England is less advanced than it is in the south.
However, the project isn't expected to be delivered until 2040 and it is also supported by the other main parties.
Given how much HS2 polarises opinion, it isn't a surprise that they have said a decision will be left until after the election.
Of course, the Tory manifesto is filled with the nonsense about how delivering Brexit will unleash Britain's potential in the world.
It is riddled with the lies that Johnson has been so renowned for, not only during the period since the start of the referendum campaign, but throughout his political career and before.
If we want Britain to become Great Britain, we need to bring an end to this charlatan's time in No. 10 and hasten his political demise.
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