What can we expect from the Conservative Party manifesto?

The Prime Minister will unveil the Conservatives’ blueprint for government when he launches his party’s much-anticipated manifesto in the West Midlands on Sunday.

Boris Johnson blurted out a key commitment earlier this week, but what other pledges are likely to feature in the document?

– Brexit

The Tories have been campaigning hard on their “Get Brexit Done” message – with the PM repeatedly telling voters he has an “oven ready” deal that can get the UK out of the EU by January 31.

Brexit will therefore feature heavily in the manifesto – with the Tories’ pledge to drive their deal through the Commons within the next two months, and then begin negotiating the UK’s long-term relationship with Brussels.

– NHS

General Election 2019
General Election 2019

The Conservatives have vowed to increase the NHS budget by £33.9 billion by 2023-24, and have pledged to upgrade 20 hospitals and rebuild 40 over the next decade.

They have also said 50 million more appointments in GP surgeries will be created every year if they win a majority, and the party wants to train 500 more GPs each year from 2021-22 – bringing the total in training to 4,000.

– Education

Mr Johnson has announced a three-year plan to increase state-school spending in England by £7.1 billion by 2022/23.

The Tories have pledged that per pupil funding for secondary schools will be set at a minimum of £5,000 next year, and each primary school pupil will receive £4,000 by 2021-22.

– Taxes

General Election 2019
General Election 2019

The PM appeared to inadvertently spill the beans on Wednesday on his manifesto commitment to raise the threshold at which workers start paying National Insurance contributions (NICs) from £8,628 a year to £9,500 – eventually rising to £12,500.

Mr Johnson has also shelved plans for a planned cut to corporation tax – claiming he would put £6 billion into public services instead.

– Social care

The Conservatives have said they will ensure that no-one has to sell their home to pay for the cost of their care in later life.

Their manifesto will include a three-point plan for adult social care – including £5 billion in additional short-term funding – but the party will seek to work with other parties to find consensus on a longer term solution.

– Housing

General Election 2019
General Election 2019

A million more homes will be delivered under a Tory majority government, the party has said, and it has promised to do more to help first-time buyers – particularly those buying locally.

Foreign buyers will have to pay an additional 3% in stamp duty, no fault evictions will be outlawed, and long-term, fixed-rate mortgages requiring only 5% deposits will be made available. In addition, local, first-time buyers will be eligible for a 30% discount.

– Crime

The Tories have pledged to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers with a national recruitment campaign to get more officers on the streets.

Mr Johnson also wants to extend stop and search powers, make life mean life for child murderers, and spend £2.5 billion on improving prisons.

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