With a snap election upon us, we thought we'd strip away any media spin and look at what the two biggest parties' manifestos say about the areas that could really impact those of us working in the third sector.
The Conservative Party
In Short: “Brexit will define us: our place in the world, our economic security and our future prosperity. So now more than ever Britain needs a strong and stable government to get the best Brexit deal for our country and its people. Now more than ever, Britain needs a clear plan.”
Housing
-Fulfill 2015 pledge for 1 million homes by 2020, and a further half million by 2022
-“We will also give greater flexibility to housing associations to increase their housing stock, building on their considerable track record in recent years. And we will work with private and public sector house builders to capture the increase in land value from urban regeneration and development.”
Health/NHS
-Increase spending by £8bn in real terms.
-Ensure 140,000 staff from EU can carry on working.
-“The most ambitious programme of investment in buildings and technology the NHS has ever seen”, whilst also recovering medical costs from people who aren’t residents of the UK.
-Implement the findings of the Accelerated Access Review to make sure that patients get new drugs and treatments as quickly as possible.
Environment
-“we will therefore commission an independent review into the cost of energy, which will be asked to make recommendations as to how we can ensure UK energy costs are as low as possible, while ensuring a reliable supply, and allowing us to meet our 2015 carbon reduction objective.”
-Develop the shale industry [fracking].
-“We shall produce a comprehensive 25 year environment plan that will chart how we improve our environment as we leave the European Environment and take control of our environmental legislature again.”
Aid
-Keep the 0.7% commitment to international aid
-“We do not believe that international definitions of development assistance always help in determining how money should be spent, on whom and for what purpose. So we will work with like minded countries to change the rules so that they are updated and better reflect the breadth of our assistance around the world. If that does not work, we will change the law to allow us to use a better definition of development spending, while continuing to meet our 0.7% target.”
The Labour party
In Short: "Labour will invest in the cutting-edge jobs and industries of the future that can improve everybody’s lives. Which is why this manifesto outlines a fully costed programme to upgrade our economy. From childcare to transport, housing to lifelong learning, Labour understands how a successful economy depends on services that support us all."
Housing
-1 million new homes, “By the end of the next Parliament we will be building at least 100,000 council and housing association homes a year for genuinely affordable rent or sale”.
-Consultation on new rules “on minimum space standards to prevent 'rabbit hutch’ properties and on new modern standards for building 'zero carbon homes".
-Ban letting agency fees for tenants and bring back housing benefits for 18-21 year olds.
-“Labour will make new three-year tenancies the norm, with an inflation cap on rent rises...Labour will set out a new national plan to end rough sleeping within the next Parliament, starting by making available 4,000 additional homes reserved for people with a history of rough sleeping.”
NHS/Health
-Guarantee that patients can be seen in A&E within four hours and fund free parking in NHS England for patients, staff and visitors – by increasing the tax on private medical insurance premiums.
-New childhood obesity strategy, “Labour will implement the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, commonly known as the ‘sugar tax.”
- “Labour will commit to over £30 billion in extra funding over the next Parliament through increasing income tax for the highest 5 per cent of earners and by increasing tax on private medical insurance, and we will free up resources by halving the fees paid to management consultants.”
-Lay the foundations for a new ‘National Care Service, and increase social care budgets by £8bn over the next parliament, with an additional £1bn for the first year.
Environment
-New Clean air act to deal with current areas of illegally high air pollution.
-“We will protect our bees by prohibiting neonicotinoids as soon as our EU relationship allows us to do so.”
-work with foresters and farmers to plant a million trees of native species, whilst keeping forests in the public hands.
Aid
-“We will continue to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on overseas development assistance, and develop a targeted development agenda based on the principles of redistribution, social justice, women’s rights and poverty reduction.”
-“Labour will work with business to ensure the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act are fully respected, including reporting on due diligence in supply chains."
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