EDELMAN ELECTION UPDATE
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OVERVIEW The publication of the party manifestos is always a much anticipated event in the election campaign and this time has been worth the wait as all three parties sought to respond to the realities of their polling. The documents published this week seem to indicate that the parties have finally remembered Tony Blair’s mantra that elections are only won on the broad centre-ground of politics. The Labour Party sought to reposition itself as the party of fiscal responsibility, while the Conservative Party made a number of allegedly unfunded spending commitments and sought to hide its ambition to shrink the state.
Increasingly the parties will need to become more honest with the voters and indicate which policies are cast iron commitments and which are aspirations that they will amend, trade or cast aside in coalition negotiations. If multi-party government is to become the new normal for the UK political system, then the manifestos will need to evolve too. Click the link to the below to view the latest Edelman Election wrap-up.
At this election the manifestos are both more and less important. More because they set out the public opening bids, common ground, red lines and potential deal breakers for coalition talks in the days, and maybe weeks, after May 7th. And less important as at this election it will be highly unlikely that any one party will achieve the votes to have the opportunity to try to implement their manifesto in full.
Jon Mitchell
MANIFESTO REPORT CARD
CONSERVATIVE
LABOUR
LIB DEMS
Priorities
Priorities
Priorities
Extending the right-to-buy, an extra £8bn a year for the NHS, 30 hours free childcare for 3-4 yr olds.
An £8 p.h. Minimum Wage, zero-hours contracts banned, extending free childcare.
Red Lines?
Red Lines?
Increase the tax-free allowance to £12,500, a balanced current budget by 2017-18, new legislation to fight climate change.
Europe - holding an EU referendum by 2017 remains a key priority for Conservative MPs.
The NHS – Labour will protect it and recruit thousands more GPs, nurses and homecare workers.
Surprises
Surprises
Taking those on the minimum wage out of income tax, a key part of the Prime Minister’s efforts to cast the Conservatives as the “real party of working people”.
A Budget Responsibility Lock, meaning every policy is paid for, no additional borrowing and the first line of Labour’s Budget: “This Budget cuts the deficit every year”.
OTHERS UKIP Rapid EU referendum, boost defence spending, introduce immigration points system.
SNP Devolution of more powers to Holyrood, overhaul transmission charging regime, increase infrastructure spending in Scotland.
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