General election: Lib Dems reveal manifesto with vow to spend 'Remain bonus' on 20,000 teachers
Jo Swinson hails a "bold plan to build a brighter future" that "starts with stopping Brexit" as she unveils her party's manifesto.
Wednesday 20 November 2019 17:07, UK
Stopping Brexit will allow a "Remain bonus" to be invested in public services, the Liberal Democrats have pledged in their general election manifesto.
Focusing on three areas; education, the environment and health, and social care and welfare, the party's 96-page document sets out their priorities ahead of the 12 December vote.
Among the plans are a £10bn pledge to recruit an extra 20,000 teachers and pay them more with a higher starting salary.
The Lib Dems would also offer free universal childcare for children aged two to four years old.
In families where both parents are working this would be offered from nine months.
And one of their key proposals is a "Skills Wallet" of £10,000 to be offered at three stages of every adult's working life for education and training courses.
The Lib Dems also say they would scrap SAT tests and league tables for schools, which they say place a huge burden on teachers.
They would replace them with a broader range of measures about school performance.
Jo Swinson's party have set a target to tackle what they describe as the "climate emergency", by generating 80% of UK electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
They have also announced plans and funding to make all our homes greener, targeting low-income homes first.
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They will invest more in wind and tidal power, and will aim to convert the train network to electric or hydrogen-powered trains by 2035.
And the Lib Dems will overhaul the system of air passenger duty, so the amount you pay is related to the number of times you fly.
This would see people who make three or more flights a year pay higher levels.
Most of the increase in revenue would be expected to come from business flights.
Under the Lib Dems there would be a 1p increase to income tax, which would be ring-fenced for health and social care.
There is also mention in the manifesto of the Lib Dem plans to create a regulated cannabis market, drawing on models in use in the US and Canada.
It would be subject to consultation but is likely to include licensed cannabis shops.
Commenting on the manifesto, party leader Ms Swinson said: "This manifesto is a bold plan to build a brighter future for our country, and that starts with stopping Brexit.
"Labour and the Conservatives can't offer the country a brighter future because they both want Brexit. We know that will be bad for our economy, bad for our NHS and bad for our environment.
"Liberal Democrats will stop Brexit and invest in our mental health services, give free childcare to working parents, put 20,000 more teachers into classrooms and take ambitious action to tackle the climate emergency.
"Our politics has been dominated by the two, tired old parties for too long.
"This election provides an opportunity to change the future of our country and build a brighter future with the Liberal Democrats."
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