Liberal Democrats Election Manifesto

The Liberal Democrats released their Election Manifesto today.

The full Manifesto is available at the following link

Key points from the manifesto:

• Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to give the final say to the British people in a referendum on whether to accept the deal or remain in the EU.
• Keep the UK in the single market and customs union - trade must continue without damaging customs controls at the border.
• Protect the rights of EU and UK citizens living abroad - ending the uncertainty for millions of people.
• Boost the economy with a major programme of capital investment aimed at stimulating growth across the UK.
• Double innovation and research spending across the economy in the long term.
• Save the NHS by putting a penny in the pound on income tax to give the NHS and social care services the cash they need.
• Make waiting times for mental health care match those for physical health care.
• Invest £7.5 billion extra in children’s education, so that no school loses money per pupil in cash terms.
• Triple the Early Years Pupil Premium to £1000 - giving children from disadvantaged backgrounds the best start in life.
• Extend free childcare to all two-year olds, and give new fathers an extra month’s paid paternity leave.
• Give 16–21 year-olds a two-thirds discount on bus travel, with a Young Person’s Bus Discount Card.
• Prevent 40,000 premature deaths a year by cutting air pollution.
• Defend human rights by opposing any attempt to leave the European Convention of Human Rights.
• Increase community policing, investing an extra £300 million a year in local police forces.
• Continue to spend 0.7% of national income on aid: reducing poverty, defending human rights, protecting the environment and preventing violent conflict.
• Suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia and control arms exports to countries with poor human rights records.
• Give 16- and 17-year olds the right to vote in elections and referendums.
• End wasted votes by introducing proportional representation for Westminster and local elections.