Following
yesterday's look at the party manifestos (linked
above), today it's the turn of the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and
UKIP.
As a reminder, I've split each manifesto into chunks broadly covering non-devolved areas : the economy & tax, energy & the environment, welfare/social justice, criminal justice, defence, foreign affairs & Europe, immigration, constitutional reform.
Liberal Democrats : Opportunity for Everyone (pdf)
Economy & Tax : Will end budget deficit by 2017/18. Will create a Welsh Development Bank. Will separate retail and investment banking, and would introduce a time-limited supplementary corporation tax for the banking sector. Will campaign for electrification of the north Wales mainline. Would raise the personal income tax allowance to £12,500 by the end of the next parliament. Raise the employees national insurance threshold. Will introduce a "mansion tax" on properties worth £2million+. Establish an independent review to see if a living wage can be introduced across all sectors. Ensure the licence fee doesn't rise faster than inflation.
Energy & Environment : A Zero Carbon Britain Act to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Expand the powers of the Green Investment Bank. Stimulate a minimum of £100billion investment in low-carbon energy infrastructure by 2020. Regulate to end the use of coal-fired energy generation by 2025. Review TAN 8 guidance in Wales (covering onshore wind farms). Supports tidal power in the Bristol Channel. Would force energy companies to allow users to switch suppliers within 24 hours. Will publish an annual carbon budget.
Welfare : Introduce a 1% cap on working-age benefit rises until the budget is balanced. Legislate to make the "triple lock" on pensions permanent. Continue roll-out on universal credit. Will review sanctions procedures in Job Centre Plus and introduce "yellow card" warnings before benefits are cut. Pay housing benefit directly to landlords. Will withdraw winter fuel allowances and free TV licences from wealthy pensioners. Will conduct a review of work capability assessments. Reform the "bedroom tax" so people will not have housing benefit reduced unless they've been offered suitable alternative accommodation. Will introduce a single-tier state pension. Will introduce "Help to Rent" deposit loans for under-30s.
Criminal Justice : Will scrap Police & Crime Commissioners. Will ensure "proper oversight" of the security services and ban UK police and intelligence agencies from getting information on UK citizens from foreign governments. Will require judicial authorisation for undercover police missions. Will introduce special drug courts and non-criminal punishments for drug addicts – possession will no longer be a criminal offence. Will introduce a Victims Bill of Rights. Prioritise prison sentences for violent and dangerous offenders and use non-custodial punishments for other offenders.
Defence : Commission fewer nuclear submarines and replace continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent with patrols during periods of international tension. Train Iraqi and Peshmerga fighters in war against ISIS. Create a UK cabinet position for Veterans' Affairs. Require employers to offer two weeks unpaid leave to allow reservists to attend training camps.
Foreign Affairs : Supports EU membership, but would hold an in-out referendum whenever an EU Treaty change meant a transfer of sovereignty to the EU. Supports international pressure to block Russian interference in the affairs of other nations. Support Syrian moderate opposition. Support two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Committed to spending 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid. Supports TTIP (US-EU free trade deal). Wants to increase the role of national parliaments in EU legislation.
Immigration : Continue to allow high-skilled immigration to support key sectors of the economy, with an annual skills shortfall report. Will end indefinite detention for immigration reasons. Will speed up the processing of asylum claims. Would double the number of inspections on employers. Immigrants claims for jobseekers allowance will be conditional on English or Welsh language skills and attending courses where applicable.
Constitutional Reform : Will implement the recommendations of both Silk Commission reports on further powers for Wales including air passenger duty, S4C, Network Rail funding, teacher's pay - would also devolve policing, youth justice and "in the longer term" other justice powers. Will increase borrowing powers for Wales from £500million a year to £1billion. Support votes at 16. Will introduce STV for local government elections and MPs. Introduce a Freedoms Act to protect free speech and ban heavy-handed policing. Will introduce a Digital Bill of Rights to protect privacy online. Will introduce a £10,000 per person per year cap on political donations. Will reduce the size of House of Lords to 450 members, with 360 of them directly-elected every 5 years (each member serving a single 15-year term).
Plaid Cymru : Working for Wales (pdf)
Economy & Tax : Would introduce an Economic Fairness Bill to ensure rebalancing of wealth and public investment around the UK. Introduce a living wage for all employees by 2020 and ban the use of zero-hour contracts. Devolution of income tax powers with majority approval from the National Assembly (minus a referendum). A 50p income tax rate for those earning £150,000+ and maintain national insurance at 12% for those earning up to £100,000 per year. Reduce VAT to 5% for housing renovations and reduce VAT for the tourism industry. Would electrify all major rail lines in Wales by 2034.
Energy & The Environment : Oppose opencast mining, fracking and "building nuclear power stations in new locations". Would introduce a Climate Change Act in Wales (if powers devolved) which will set "challenging" greenhouse gas emission cuts by 2030-2050. Aim for Wales to become self-sufficient in renewable energy.
Welfare : Would scrap the "bedroom tax". Review Universal Credit so payments are paid weekly rather than monthly, and paid directly to individuals regardless of internet access. Ensure pensions are at least the same rate as Pension Credit; oppose increases in state retirement age but supports early-access to pensions. Will consider a windfall tax on payday lenders to raise funds for promotion of credit unions. Will start a campaign to ensure people claim any benefits they're entitled to.
Criminal Justice : Crime policy will focus on prevention and rehabilitation. Introduce a Victims' Rights Bill and reverse legal aid reforms. Ensure a women's prison/facility is provided in Wales. Support decriminalisation of cannabis and a review of the Misuse of Drugs Act to take "legal highs" into account. Oppose privatisation of the probation service.
Defence : Oppose renewal or replacement of Trident nuclear missiles – saving a potential £100billion. Improved aftercare for personnel leaving the armed forces, with a dedicated Minister for Veterans. Military action should be approved by the UK Parliament and the devolved administrations. Demands full publication of the Chilcott Inquiry findings into Iraq War (which were delayed before the election).
Foreign Affairs : If there's to be an EU "in out" referendum, then the result should be carried by all four Home Nations to be valid. Supports remaining in the EU, but any renegotiated terms of membership should consider repatriating powers to Wales, not London. Supports closure of the Strasbourg parliament. Supports two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict and an end of Gaza blockade. Opposes TTIP (US-EU free trade agreement). Supports continuing to spend 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid. Proposes an EU-style rotating presidency for the British-Irish Council.
Immigration : Would create a Welsh Migration Service to ensure skills shortages in Wales are met through immigration. Would introduce a two-year post-study visa for foreign students who have recently graduated from Welsh universities. Strengthen protections of local workers by introducing a Gangmasters Licensing Act to prevent foreign workers being unfairly incentivised over local workers.
Constitutional Reform : Wales to receive the same per-head funding as Scotland (worth £1.2billion). Will lower the voting age to 16 and introduce citizenship classes in schools. Would create a Welsh legal jurisdiction and civil service, devolving extra powers to Wales over : criminal justice, policing, natural resources/energy, the Crown Estate, broadcasting, Job Centre Plus, ports and some aspects of transport policy – including Network Rail functions. Would support an increase in the number of Assembly Members - matched by a decrease in the number of MPs - as well as a directly-elected House of Lords (via single transferable vote). Opposes withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights.
UKIP : Believe in Britain (pdf)
Economy & Tax : Will raise the personal income tax allowance to at least £13,000. Raise threshold for higher-rate income tax to £55,000 per year, introduce an intermediate 30% income tax rate for those earning between £43,500-55,000. Abolish inheritance tax by 2020. Remove VAT from building renovations and sanitary products. Will scrap High Speed 2. Will remove road tolls where possible. Abolish university tuition fees for science, engineering, maths and medical students.
Energy & Environment : Supports fracking. Will use petroleum taxes to create a sovereign wealth fund. Will withdraw subsidies for wind and solar and redirect it to hydroelectricity. Will seek to rejuvenate the coal industry, and build new coal-fired plants. Will abolish green taxes and levies. Will allow a free vote on GM crop cultivation in parliament.
Welfare : Will scrap the "bedroom tax". Immigrants will be banned from claiming welfare for five years. Will limit child benefit to two children, and child benefit cannot be paid for children living outside the UK. Will return responsibility for disability work assessments to GPs. Will raise carers allowance from £62.10 to £73.10 a week. Presumption of 50-50 shared parenting in child residency cases. Would introduce a flexible state pension age, where pensioners can take a lower state pension if retiring at age 65.
Criminal Justice : Will not outsource or privatise any aspect of policing. Will not decriminalise drugs, but will target dealers instead of users. Will not reduce prison place numbers, and prisoners will have to sign an education covenant to either learn new skills or teach other prisoners. Will deport foreign criminals and foreign prisoners.
Defence : Will ensure 2% of GDP is spent on defence. Will retain Trident nuclear missiles. Will create a Director of National Intelligence to review UK security and intelligence services. Will ensure UK forces in active service overseas pay no income tax. Will refuse to allow UK forces to operate under European command. Will build veterans hostels for homeless veterans and a dedicated military hospital. Will guarantee a police, border agency or prison job to anyone who has served in the armed forces for at least 12 years. Military action should require parliamentary approval.
Foreign Affairs : Leave the EU; will hold an in-out referendum "as soon as possible" and will leave within 2 years of any referendum vote authorising it. Will seek to retain a free-trade agreement with the EU. Would seek to guarantee British sovereignty over Gibraltar. Supports two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Phased reduction of the overseas aid budget from 0.7% of GDP to 0.2%, saving £11billion by 2020.
Immigration : No more free movement of EU citizens (as a result of EU withdrawal). Will introduce a five-year moratorium on non-skilled immigration and introduce an Australian-style points system for all potential immigrants. Increase the number of border agency staff by 2,500. Immigrants who have paid tax for five years (with a valid work visa) can apply for British citizenship. No amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Constitutional Reform : Will replace the Barnett Formula with one based on relative need, meaning Scotland will see a significant reduction in its budget. Will reduce the size of the House of Commons and ensure all constituencies are the same size. Will abolish human rights legislation and withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights. Will campaign for a proportional voting system. Will restrict postal voting to those who have a genuine reason to need it.
As a reminder, I've split each manifesto into chunks broadly covering non-devolved areas : the economy & tax, energy & the environment, welfare/social justice, criminal justice, defence, foreign affairs & Europe, immigration, constitutional reform.
Liberal Democrats : Opportunity for Everyone (pdf)
Economy & Tax : Will end budget deficit by 2017/18. Will create a Welsh Development Bank. Will separate retail and investment banking, and would introduce a time-limited supplementary corporation tax for the banking sector. Will campaign for electrification of the north Wales mainline. Would raise the personal income tax allowance to £12,500 by the end of the next parliament. Raise the employees national insurance threshold. Will introduce a "mansion tax" on properties worth £2million+. Establish an independent review to see if a living wage can be introduced across all sectors. Ensure the licence fee doesn't rise faster than inflation.
Energy & Environment : A Zero Carbon Britain Act to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050. Expand the powers of the Green Investment Bank. Stimulate a minimum of £100billion investment in low-carbon energy infrastructure by 2020. Regulate to end the use of coal-fired energy generation by 2025. Review TAN 8 guidance in Wales (covering onshore wind farms). Supports tidal power in the Bristol Channel. Would force energy companies to allow users to switch suppliers within 24 hours. Will publish an annual carbon budget.
Welfare : Introduce a 1% cap on working-age benefit rises until the budget is balanced. Legislate to make the "triple lock" on pensions permanent. Continue roll-out on universal credit. Will review sanctions procedures in Job Centre Plus and introduce "yellow card" warnings before benefits are cut. Pay housing benefit directly to landlords. Will withdraw winter fuel allowances and free TV licences from wealthy pensioners. Will conduct a review of work capability assessments. Reform the "bedroom tax" so people will not have housing benefit reduced unless they've been offered suitable alternative accommodation. Will introduce a single-tier state pension. Will introduce "Help to Rent" deposit loans for under-30s.
Criminal Justice : Will scrap Police & Crime Commissioners. Will ensure "proper oversight" of the security services and ban UK police and intelligence agencies from getting information on UK citizens from foreign governments. Will require judicial authorisation for undercover police missions. Will introduce special drug courts and non-criminal punishments for drug addicts – possession will no longer be a criminal offence. Will introduce a Victims Bill of Rights. Prioritise prison sentences for violent and dangerous offenders and use non-custodial punishments for other offenders.
Defence : Commission fewer nuclear submarines and replace continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent with patrols during periods of international tension. Train Iraqi and Peshmerga fighters in war against ISIS. Create a UK cabinet position for Veterans' Affairs. Require employers to offer two weeks unpaid leave to allow reservists to attend training camps.
Foreign Affairs : Supports EU membership, but would hold an in-out referendum whenever an EU Treaty change meant a transfer of sovereignty to the EU. Supports international pressure to block Russian interference in the affairs of other nations. Support Syrian moderate opposition. Support two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Committed to spending 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid. Supports TTIP (US-EU free trade deal). Wants to increase the role of national parliaments in EU legislation.
Immigration : Continue to allow high-skilled immigration to support key sectors of the economy, with an annual skills shortfall report. Will end indefinite detention for immigration reasons. Will speed up the processing of asylum claims. Would double the number of inspections on employers. Immigrants claims for jobseekers allowance will be conditional on English or Welsh language skills and attending courses where applicable.
Constitutional Reform : Will implement the recommendations of both Silk Commission reports on further powers for Wales including air passenger duty, S4C, Network Rail funding, teacher's pay - would also devolve policing, youth justice and "in the longer term" other justice powers. Will increase borrowing powers for Wales from £500million a year to £1billion. Support votes at 16. Will introduce STV for local government elections and MPs. Introduce a Freedoms Act to protect free speech and ban heavy-handed policing. Will introduce a Digital Bill of Rights to protect privacy online. Will introduce a £10,000 per person per year cap on political donations. Will reduce the size of House of Lords to 450 members, with 360 of them directly-elected every 5 years (each member serving a single 15-year term).
Plaid Cymru : Working for Wales (pdf)
Economy & Tax : Would introduce an Economic Fairness Bill to ensure rebalancing of wealth and public investment around the UK. Introduce a living wage for all employees by 2020 and ban the use of zero-hour contracts. Devolution of income tax powers with majority approval from the National Assembly (minus a referendum). A 50p income tax rate for those earning £150,000+ and maintain national insurance at 12% for those earning up to £100,000 per year. Reduce VAT to 5% for housing renovations and reduce VAT for the tourism industry. Would electrify all major rail lines in Wales by 2034.
Energy & The Environment : Oppose opencast mining, fracking and "building nuclear power stations in new locations". Would introduce a Climate Change Act in Wales (if powers devolved) which will set "challenging" greenhouse gas emission cuts by 2030-2050. Aim for Wales to become self-sufficient in renewable energy.
Welfare : Would scrap the "bedroom tax". Review Universal Credit so payments are paid weekly rather than monthly, and paid directly to individuals regardless of internet access. Ensure pensions are at least the same rate as Pension Credit; oppose increases in state retirement age but supports early-access to pensions. Will consider a windfall tax on payday lenders to raise funds for promotion of credit unions. Will start a campaign to ensure people claim any benefits they're entitled to.
Criminal Justice : Crime policy will focus on prevention and rehabilitation. Introduce a Victims' Rights Bill and reverse legal aid reforms. Ensure a women's prison/facility is provided in Wales. Support decriminalisation of cannabis and a review of the Misuse of Drugs Act to take "legal highs" into account. Oppose privatisation of the probation service.
Defence : Oppose renewal or replacement of Trident nuclear missiles – saving a potential £100billion. Improved aftercare for personnel leaving the armed forces, with a dedicated Minister for Veterans. Military action should be approved by the UK Parliament and the devolved administrations. Demands full publication of the Chilcott Inquiry findings into Iraq War (which were delayed before the election).
Foreign Affairs : If there's to be an EU "in out" referendum, then the result should be carried by all four Home Nations to be valid. Supports remaining in the EU, but any renegotiated terms of membership should consider repatriating powers to Wales, not London. Supports closure of the Strasbourg parliament. Supports two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict and an end of Gaza blockade. Opposes TTIP (US-EU free trade agreement). Supports continuing to spend 0.7% of GDP on foreign aid. Proposes an EU-style rotating presidency for the British-Irish Council.
Immigration : Would create a Welsh Migration Service to ensure skills shortages in Wales are met through immigration. Would introduce a two-year post-study visa for foreign students who have recently graduated from Welsh universities. Strengthen protections of local workers by introducing a Gangmasters Licensing Act to prevent foreign workers being unfairly incentivised over local workers.
Constitutional Reform : Wales to receive the same per-head funding as Scotland (worth £1.2billion). Will lower the voting age to 16 and introduce citizenship classes in schools. Would create a Welsh legal jurisdiction and civil service, devolving extra powers to Wales over : criminal justice, policing, natural resources/energy, the Crown Estate, broadcasting, Job Centre Plus, ports and some aspects of transport policy – including Network Rail functions. Would support an increase in the number of Assembly Members - matched by a decrease in the number of MPs - as well as a directly-elected House of Lords (via single transferable vote). Opposes withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights.
UKIP : Believe in Britain (pdf)
Economy & Tax : Will raise the personal income tax allowance to at least £13,000. Raise threshold for higher-rate income tax to £55,000 per year, introduce an intermediate 30% income tax rate for those earning between £43,500-55,000. Abolish inheritance tax by 2020. Remove VAT from building renovations and sanitary products. Will scrap High Speed 2. Will remove road tolls where possible. Abolish university tuition fees for science, engineering, maths and medical students.
Energy & Environment : Supports fracking. Will use petroleum taxes to create a sovereign wealth fund. Will withdraw subsidies for wind and solar and redirect it to hydroelectricity. Will seek to rejuvenate the coal industry, and build new coal-fired plants. Will abolish green taxes and levies. Will allow a free vote on GM crop cultivation in parliament.
Welfare : Will scrap the "bedroom tax". Immigrants will be banned from claiming welfare for five years. Will limit child benefit to two children, and child benefit cannot be paid for children living outside the UK. Will return responsibility for disability work assessments to GPs. Will raise carers allowance from £62.10 to £73.10 a week. Presumption of 50-50 shared parenting in child residency cases. Would introduce a flexible state pension age, where pensioners can take a lower state pension if retiring at age 65.
Criminal Justice : Will not outsource or privatise any aspect of policing. Will not decriminalise drugs, but will target dealers instead of users. Will not reduce prison place numbers, and prisoners will have to sign an education covenant to either learn new skills or teach other prisoners. Will deport foreign criminals and foreign prisoners.
Defence : Will ensure 2% of GDP is spent on defence. Will retain Trident nuclear missiles. Will create a Director of National Intelligence to review UK security and intelligence services. Will ensure UK forces in active service overseas pay no income tax. Will refuse to allow UK forces to operate under European command. Will build veterans hostels for homeless veterans and a dedicated military hospital. Will guarantee a police, border agency or prison job to anyone who has served in the armed forces for at least 12 years. Military action should require parliamentary approval.
Foreign Affairs : Leave the EU; will hold an in-out referendum "as soon as possible" and will leave within 2 years of any referendum vote authorising it. Will seek to retain a free-trade agreement with the EU. Would seek to guarantee British sovereignty over Gibraltar. Supports two-state solution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Phased reduction of the overseas aid budget from 0.7% of GDP to 0.2%, saving £11billion by 2020.
Immigration : No more free movement of EU citizens (as a result of EU withdrawal). Will introduce a five-year moratorium on non-skilled immigration and introduce an Australian-style points system for all potential immigrants. Increase the number of border agency staff by 2,500. Immigrants who have paid tax for five years (with a valid work visa) can apply for British citizenship. No amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Constitutional Reform : Will replace the Barnett Formula with one based on relative need, meaning Scotland will see a significant reduction in its budget. Will reduce the size of the House of Commons and ensure all constituencies are the same size. Will abolish human rights legislation and withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights. Will campaign for a proportional voting system. Will restrict postal voting to those who have a genuine reason to need it.
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