Prime Minister Boris Johnson has today launched the Conservative manifesto in Telford, setting out how he will get Brexit done and unleash Britain’s potential.
Getting Brexit done. Investing in our public services and infrastructure. Supporting workers and families. Strengthening the Union. Unleashing Britain’s potential.
The Prime Minister unveiled new manifesto commitments, including 50,000 more nurses in the NHS, a long-term budget for the NHS guaranteed in law and more than £4 billion investment in local transport such as trains, trams and buses.
On the inside cover of the manifesto, the Prime Minister sets out his personal guarantee to the British people. If there is a Conservative majority government, he guarantees:
- Getting our new Brexit deal through Parliament.
- Extra funding for the NHS, with 50,000 more nurses and 50 million more GP appointments a year.
- An Australian-style points-based system to control immigration.
- Millions more invested every week in science, schools, apprenticeships and infrastructure while controlling debt.
- Reaching Net Zero by 2050 with investment in clean energy solutions and green infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
- We will not raise the rate of income tax, VAT or National Insurance.
With 635 candidates pledging to back the deal, only a majority Conservative government can get Brexit done so we can move on and focus on people’s priorities.
The Prime Minister has said that bringing back the Brexit bill is an ‘early Christmas present to the nation’ and that the Conservatives are ‘offering hope and optimism where the Labour party only offer deadlock and division.’
2020 can be a year of hope and opportunity, and the Conservative manifesto details the way we will harness our strong market economy to protect and improve the public services we rely on – our NHS, police, and schools.
KEY POINTS
Brexit
- MPs will start to vote on Boris Johnson's Brexit deal before Christmas
- Trade deal with the EU will be agreed next year while the implementation period following the UK's exit at the end of December will not be extended
- Eighty per cent of UK trade will be covered by new free trade agreements within the next three years, starting with the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan
- Ten new freeports around the UK, benefiting some the most deprived communities
- A new fairer Australian-style points-based immigration system to give the Government "real control" over who is coming in and out
- The Fixed Term Parliaments Act which stopped Boris Johnson calling an election will be axed
- A Constitution, Democracy & Rights Commission will look at the relationship between courts, Parliament and the Government
- The Human Rights Act will be updated to ensure "a proper balance between the rights of individuals, our vital national security and effective government”
The NHS and social care
- 50,000 extra nurses to be recruited
- 50 million extra GP appointments a year
- £34 billion extra funding a year for NHS
- Cross-party agreement sought to solve social care crisis
- 40 new hospitals
- Free hospital parking for selected patients and staff
Taxation
- Increasing National Insurance threshold to £9,500 next year, with the "ultimate ambition" to raise to £12,500
- Scrapping plan to cut corporation tax from 19% to 17% - Increasing employment allowance for small businesses, to raise up to £500m a year
- Reduce national insurance contributions for companies that employ veterans
The environment
- £4 billion for new flood defences
- £9.2 billion for energy efficiency measures in schools, hospitals and 2.2 million homes
- Export of plastic to non-OECD countries banned
- Ban on gas boilers in new homes from next year
- 2 million new green jobs in next decade
- Net zero carbon emissions by 2050
Childcare and education
- An extra £1billion to fund summer holiday care for 250,000 children
- A new arts premium to invest in arts, music and sport in secondary schools "to fund enriching activities for all pupils"
- More new free schools but the ban on new grammar schools will not be lifted
Defence
- Continue to exceed Nato target of 2 per cent of GDP on defence and increase defence spending by at least 0.5 per cent every year of new parliament
- Modernise equipment
- Invest in training and equipping Armed Forces
- Maintain Trident
- Invest more in cybersecurity
- Set up UK's first Space Command
Pensions
- Pensions triple lock
- Older Person's bus pass
- Winter fuel payment
- TV licences for the over-75s
Policing and crime
- 20,000 extra police officers
- Longer sentences for violent and sex offenders
- Extra 10,000 prison places
- Faster, tougher sentencing for knife offenders
- Life sentences for child murderers
- Tougher community sentences
The economy
- Day-to-day spending boost for public services - £1.5bn in 2020-21, rising to £2.9bn in 2023-24
- Borrow £100bn over five years to fund longer-term infrastructure projects
- Of this, £22bn allocated over the next five years
