Wednesday, May 12, 2010

The Coalition Policies


I suppose you could call this the coalition manifesto. It all looks pretty good, although the devil will obviously be in the details.

THE ECONOMY
  • Emergency budget within 50 days
  • "Accelerated" action to cut the budget deficit: £6bn of spending cuts this year
  • Measures to promote financial stability and support business growth
  • Next year's 1% National Insurance tax rise to be scrapped
  • Phased reform of tax system. Those on less than £10,000 to pay no tax
  • New ministerial committee to look at "structural" banking reform
  • New tax on financial transactions

EDUCATION
  • Investment to reduce class sizes for children from poorer backgrounds
  • New independent schools in state sector - "free schools" - to be set up

POLITICAL REFORM
  • Referendum on the Alternative Vote system for general elections
  • Fixed-term Parliaments - next election in May 2015
  • Cut in number of MPs and equal size constituencies
  • Right of the public to "recall" corrupt MPs
  • Ban on "non-doms" sitting in Parliament
  • Reform of political donations and party funding

FOREIGN POLICY
  • "War Cabinet" to oversee Afghan mission
  • National Security Council to handle security policy
  • Strategic defence review to begin as soon as possible
  • Trident renewal to go ahead but cost scrutinised
  • No further powers ceded to EU without referendum
  • UK not to join euro for foreseeable future

CIVIL LIBERTIES
  • Great Repeal Bill including abolition of ID cards

IMMIGRATION
  • Cap on immigration from outside the European Union

ENVIRONMENT
  • Aviation passenger duty replaced by plane tax

FAMILIES
  • Tax break for married couples and civil partners (Although Lib-Dems don't have to vote for it)

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