Voice of London

The main parties have been sharing their key policies ahead of the polls opening on December 12.

The Conservatives pledge to cut business rates and the Labour Party’s promise to offer free broadband to all homes and businesses, has struck a chord with voters across the country.

The Liberal Democrats’ strong Remain stance will no doubt win over some while the Brexit Party’s no deal approach continues to resonate with Leave voters.

And the Green Party is capitalising on the increased awareness of the climate debate announcing they’d install a Carbon Chancellor if voted into power.

• Tories abandon tax cut
• Boris Johnson calls Labour’s pledge a “crackpot scheme”
• Tories promise to slash business rates

To give you an idea of where each party currently stands, here’s a guide outlining some of their key promises from the campaign trail so far.

Immigration

Conservative

• Reduce overall immigration numbers
• Points-based immigration system
• NHS visa for overseas doctors and nurses

Labour

• No fixed immigration targets
• Flexible working visas
• Rights of settled EU citizens protected

Lib Dems

• Remove immigration powers from Home Office
• 28-day limit on immigration detention centres
• Free movement of people within the EU if Brexit cancelled

Green Party

• End indefinite detention of refugees and asylum seekers
• Reintroduce legal aid for immigrants
• Provide childcare and maintenance allowance for immigrants

Brexit Party

• No policies announced to date

Environment

Conservative

• Increased tree planting, 30 million a year until 2025
• Net-zero emissions by 2050
• £500m Blue Planet fund to protect the world’s oceans

Labour

• Net-zero carbon emission by 2030
• Interest-free loans on electric vehicles
• 320,000 apprenticeships within renewable industries

Lib Dems

• £20bn a year to tackle climate change until 2025
• Ban fracking
• Increased tree planting – 60 million a year until 2025

Green Party

• £100bn a year to tackle climate change until 2030
• Carbon neutral by 2030
• End tax breaks for fossil fuels industries

Brexit Party

• Recycle all waste
• Increase tree planting

Economy & Infrastructure

Conservative

• No corporation tax cut to save £6bn
• Spending £5bn increasing broadband reach
• Adjust business rates and cut NI contributions for employers

Labour

• Free full fibre broadband for all homes and businesses
• Nationalise rail, mail, water and energy
• Investment of £150bn in schools, hospitals and housing

Lib Dems

• Scrap business rates replacing with commercial landowner levy
• Investment of £150bn in infrastructure
• Hyper-fast, fibre optic broadband roll out

Green Party

• Cut NI contributions for small businesses
• Invest and support new green technologies
• Alternatives to gross domestic product

Brexit Party

• Abolish inheritance tax
• Cut business rates to zero outside of Greater London
• Scrap HS2

NHS

Conservative

• £20.5bn extra for the NHS by 2023-24
• Six new hospitals valued £2.7bn
• 6000 more GP’s in England by 2024-25

Labour

• £26bn extra for the NHS by 2023-24
• Free prescriptions and dental check-ups
• Free social care for 65+

Lib Dems

• 1p rise in income tax for health and social care
• Increased investment in mental health services
• Childhood obesity prevention plan

Green Party

• Increased access to NHS dentistry and mental health treatment
• Increased investment in mental health services
• All publicly funded – no privatisation

Brexit Party

• No policies announced to date

Brexit

Conservative

• Agree a deal with the EU
• Deliver Brexit by 2021
• Negotiate free trade agreements with the EU and other trading partners

Labour

• Renegotiate a deal with the EU and put to a People’s Vote
• Take no-deal off of the table
• No hard border in Ireland

Lib Dems

• Remain in the EU
• Revoke Article 50 if elected as a majority government
• Or campaign for a second referendum

Green Party

• Remain in the EU
• Second referendum, campaigning to Remain

Brexit Party

• Leave with no deal
• Negotiate free trade agreement with the EU by July 2020
• Or move to WTO trade rules

The other parties standing in at least two constituencies in London are as follows: Animal Welfare Party, Communities United Party, Christian Parties Alliance, Official Monster Raving Loony Party, Renew, Social Democratic Party, UKIP, Workers Revolutionary Party.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5erjPMTBYBOBGhjDmA6eqbGS7qK6c5oq

We expect the full manifestos for all the major parties to be released in the coming week, with Labour having already announced theirs will be released on Thursday.

The country will then go to the polls on the 11th of December 2019.

The result will potentially decide the path forward for the nation and in the event of a majority government, the parties who lose will likely undergo major changes in order to move forward.

Words: Dan Taylor | Subbing: Scott Mathew | Featured Image: Diliff on Wikipedia Commons