What will each party promise at the General Election?
With a General Election set for 8 June, Tamara Cohen takes a look at what we can expect from the manifestos.
Wednesday 19 April 2017 23:33, UK
With the Prime Minister getting the go-ahead for an 8 June election, the focus will now shift to what the parties will promise in their manifestos.
:: CONSERVATIVES
Theresa May has made clear she sees this election dominated by Brexit.
She wants the mandate to take Britain out of the single market and customs union, end free movement and the rule of European judges, as well as replacing a host of other EU laws and regulations with British ones.
But after the Budget debacle in which Chancellor Philip Hammond tried to raise National Insurance despite a manifesto commitment in 2015 not to, and was forced into a U-turn, we expect other commitments from the last election to be dropped.
IN
The biggest priority of Brexit negotiations will be to achieve "control of our laws and borders" - a phrase Mrs May uses a lot.
As home secretary for six years she failed to bring immigration down to "tens of thousands". It would be riAG百家乐在线官网 to ditch that promise for this election, but will she admit it's unachievable?
Grammar schools. One of Mrs May's priorities that wasn't in the 2015 manifesto, and one she would struggle to get through Parliament without an election mandate.
OUT
It has been suggested the triple lock on state pensions could go, in favour of a double lock. It's an expensive commitment which Tory MPs have suggested could be ditched. Although Labour will promise to keep it, Mrs May has the goodwill from the electorate to make unpopular decisions right now.
The 0.7% foreign aid target. Members of the Cabinet have privately expressed doubts about increasing spending on foreign aid while there are urgent domestic priorities. Some of the cash could be diverted to defence, in an election where security is likely to feature heavily.
:: LABOUR
Jeremy Corbyn has suggested he will look to fight this campaign on domestic issues - railing against austerity, the crisis in the NHS and low wages.
His party is deeply divided on Brexit, but has announced policies on a host of bread and butter issues in the past couple of weeks.
IN
VAT on private schools fees to provide free school dinners - a retail policy Labour hope will be popular on the doorsteps.
A 50p top rate of tax and reversal of inheritance tax cuts - although Labour's proposed tax rises are modest compared with the amount they want to spend on the NHS, schools and welfare.
Triple lock until 2025 and pensioner perks like free TV licences and bus passes.
Mr Corbyn is also likely to pledge to renationalise the railways.
OUT
Spending cuts. Labour have been accused of ducking tough decisions to cut welfare or departmental spending, and the Conservatives will focus on whether their sums add up.
It may be a huge issue for unions and regional jobs, but arch-critic Jeremy Corbyn is unlikely to make a promise to renew Trident, even though it is party policy.
:: LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
Tim Farron's party are back from the dead and see this election as a great opportunity to make the unashamedly pro-European case for a soft Brexit.
But they will need to keep the Eurosceptics in their South West heartlands on side, with policies for people feeling the pinch on their living standards.
IN
The Lib Dems will be the only major party calling for Britain to stay in the single market, linking it to millions of jobs, and for an open migration policy.
They will promise a second referendum on the final EU deal.
The party have suggested a 1p rise in income tax to provide a £4.6bn boost to the NHS, in what they hope could be the Holy Grail - a popular tax.
OUT
Coalition? The Liberal Democrats have not indicated they will be calling for a deal with the Tories or Labour, as Nick Clegg did in 2015, but are pitching for more MPs in Parliament to hold the Government to account.
:: UKIP
The party are in disarray having lost their only MP, plummeting in the polls and distracted by internal battles, but they hope be make Mrs May feel the heat on immigration.
IN
Dramatic cuts to immigration - as soon as we leave. While the Conservatives have talked about controlling numbers, UKIP will declare that anything less than a dramatic cut is a betrayal of what Brexit supporters voted for. They are likely to focus on the impact on wages and public services.
OUT
Nigel Farage? The former leader is yet to say whether he will stand for Parliament for the eighth time. His chances of winning South Thanet, where he stood last time, would be substantially reduced.