Underwhelming Election

With just over a week until we vote (again), the General Election feels like the most low key (and dare I suggest) underwhelming build up in memory.

In truth, the Manchester atrocities have (rightly) dominated media resources. But even before the truly awful terrorist attack, there was an almost apologetic and lethargic build up to, what should be, a significant event. Perhaps we are simply showing voter fatigue with the last General Election, Scotland Independence and then Brexit votes all feeling like they were just a few months ago. Maybe we are just uninspired by the political party leaders on offer. Or it could be that we see Brexit and the commencement of negotiations as the bigger issue this year. Or perhaps it is a mix of all of the above.

Regardless, here is an overview of the key policies of the 3 main parties manifesto:

Conservatives:

• Real increases in NHS spending reaching £8 billion extra per year by 2022 / 2023
• Scrapping the triple-lock on the state pension after 2020 (replacing it with a double-lock)
• Means test winter fuel payments - taking away £300 from wealthier pensioners
• Raising cost of care threshold from £23,000 to £100,000 - but include value of home in calculation of assets for home care as well as residential care
• Scrap free school lunches for infants in England but offer free breakfasts across the primary years
• Pump an extra £4 billion into schools by 2022
• Net migration cut to below 100,000
• Increase the amount levied on firms employing non-EU migrant workers

Labour:

• Scrap student tuition fees
• Nationalisation of England's nine water companies
• Re-introduce the 50p rate of tax on the highest earners (above £123,000)
• Income tax rate 45p on £80,000 and above
• More free childcare, expanding free provisions for two, three and four year olds
• Guarantee triple lock for pensioner incomes
• End to zero hours contracts
• Hire 10,000 new police officers, 3,000 new firefighters
• Moves to charge companies a levy on salaries above £330,000
• Deliver rail electrification

Liberal Democrats:

• Second EU referendum on Brexit deal
• 1p in the pound on income tax to raise £6 billion for NHS and social care services
• End the 1% public sector pay cap
• Invest nearly £7 billion extra in education
• Ban the sale of diesel cars and small vans in the UK by 2025
• Scrap the planned expansion of grammar schools
• End imprisonment for possession of illegal drugs for personal use
• Reinstate university maintenance grants for the poorest students
• Job-sharing arrangements for MPs
• Increase maximum sentence for animal cruelty from six months to five years and a ban on caged hens
• Extend free childcare to all 2 year olds and introduce an additional month's paid paternity leave for fathers
• Reverse cuts to work allowances in universal credit and housing benefit for 18-21 year olds
• Levy up to 200% council tax on second homes
• £300 million for community policing in England and Wales

So there you have it……plenty to ponder and plenty to consider. Perhaps the bigger and wider issue that will have the biggest impact to day-to-day life is which party you want in power to negotiate a successful exit from the EU……Brexit negotiations will start within 20 days of the General Election.

Over to you!

 

Happy voting.