Prime Minister Theresa May promised her "mainstream government will deliver for mainstream Britain" when launching Forward, Together: Our Plan for a Stronger Britain and a Prosperous Future, which pledges to keep the party’s 2015 commitment to deliver a million homes by the end of 2020 and half a million more by the end of 2022, as well as the reforms outlined in its White Paper.
The manifesto said that these should not be "poor quality homes" and said it would "help councils to build, but only those councils who will build high-quality, sustainable and integrated communities."
On the environment it pledged to plant a million more trees in towns and cities and place new duties on councils to consult where they wish to cut down street trees.
It said it would help Natural England to support farmers delivering "environmental improvements on a landscape scale, from enriching soil fertility to planting hedgerows and building dry stone walls". And it committed to improve natural flood management as well as "continue to ensure that public forests and woodland are kept in trust for the nation, and provide stronger protections for our ancient woodland."
The manifesto repeats the previous commitment to making this generation the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it and says it will produce the long-awaited 25 Year Environment Plan.
The manifesto promises to continue to invest in road and rail infrastructure projects and also expand cycle networks, and says it will "encourage the very best practice in the design of buildings and public spaces, including a review of the design of government buildings, to ensure that when the state builds, it makes a positive contribution to a local area".
On addressing the skills gap, the Conservative continue their commitment to technical education improvements and T-levels and promises investment for further education colleges "to make sure they have world-class equipment and facilities" A new national programme will attract experienced industry professionals to work in FE colleges.
The manifesto continues the Conservative commitment to bringing the immigration rate down below 100,000, and increase the amount levied on firms employing migrant workers. Listed companies will have to publish ratio of executive pay to broader UK workforce pay. There is also a pledge to reform business rates, with more frequent revaluations.
Earlier this week May also revealed an ’11 point plan’ to improve workers’ rights, which included increasing the National Living Wage in line with earnings until the end of Parliament, new rights to unpaid leave to care for sick relatives full time and in the event of a child bereavement as well as the right to request leave for training. The Conservatives also want to provide to encourage employers to take on staff who have had a career break for example for childcare or caring for ill relatives.
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