Tax Policies

• Labour:
  • Plans to raise £8.6 million by 2028-29.
  • Revenue from private schools, non-doms, and a windfall tax on oil and gas giants.
  • No increase in National Insurance, income tax, or VAT.
• Conservatives:
  • Proposes various tax cuts, including a 2% cut to NI.
  • Abolishing NI for four million self-employed workers.
  • Abolishing stamp duty for first-time buyers on homes worth up to £425,000.

Migration

• Labour:
  • Pledges to reduce net migration.
  • Plans to reform the points-based system and upskill British workers.
  • Ban on employers breaching employment law from recruiting overseas workers.
• Conservatives:
  • Introduction of a “binding, legal” annual cap on visas.
  • Annual parliamentary vote on visa numbers.
  • Increase salary requirements for skilled workers annually.

Tackling Small Boats

• Labour:
  • Opposes the Rwanda scheme.
  • Proposes a new Border Security Command with enhanced investigative capabilities.
  • Seeks new security agreements with the EU for joint investigations.
• Conservatives:
  • Supports the Rwanda scheme and continuous removal of illegal migrants.
  • Suggests prioritizing UK border security over ECHR membership.
  • Plans additional returns deals with other countries.

NHS

• Labour:
  • Aims to cut waiting lists to a maximum of 18 weeks.
  • Proposes 40,000 extra appointments weekly.
  • Plans to train more GPs and overhaul the appointment system.
  • Dentistry Rescue Plan for urgent appointments and children’s dental care.
• Conservatives:
  • Pledges 92,000 more nurses and 28,000 more doctors.
  • Additional 2.5 million dental appointments.
  • Increase NHS spending above inflation annually.
  • Emphasis on productivity and community diagnostic centres.

Education and Childcare

• Labour:
  • Recruit 6,500 more teachers and mental health specialists.
  • Free breakfast clubs in primary schools.
  • 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries.
  • Review of parental leave system.
• Conservatives:
  • Bonuses for new teachers in priority areas.
  • Create 100,000 more apprenticeships by 2029.
  • Largest ever childcare expansion for children from nine months old.

Defence

• Labour:
  • Path to 2.5% GDP spending on defence.
  • Commitment to nuclear deterrent as “absolute”.
• Conservatives:
  • Increase military spending to 2.5% GDP by 2030.
  • £3 billion annually to support Ukraine.
  • Reinstate National Service for school leavers.

Energy and Net Zero

• Labour:
  • Clean power by 2030.
  • New publicly-owned energy company, Great British Energy.
  • No new North Sea oil and gas licenses but will honour existing ones.
• Conservatives:
  • Annual licensing rounds for North Sea oil and gas.
  • Triple offshore wind capacity.
  • Support for onshore wind with local consent.
  • Reduce household green levies.

The Labour manifesto focuses on wealth creation, investment in green technologies, and extensive social reforms, while the Conservative manifesto emphasizes tax cuts, migration control, and a balanced approach to net-zero goals. Both parties offer robust healthcare and education plans but differ significantly in their approach to immigration and energy policy.