The Conservatives have released their platform for the 2024 election. The party’s plans are outlined in the booklet in the event that it wins the July 4 election.
These are a few of the more striking promises.
The return of Help to Buy
In an interview with the prior to the manifesto’s release, Rishi Sunak stated that he hopes to “build an ownership society,” although he also acknowledged that property ownership has grown more challenging. His audacious plan is to construct 1.6 million dwellings in England within the next five years. But prior goals have consistently been missed.
Reviving the Help to Buy program, which would give first-time purchasers an equity loan of up to 20% toward the cost of one of these new homes, is one of the strategies to help individuals get on the property ladder. These programs, nonetheless, have already come under fire for driving up housing costs and favoring developers over purchasers.
Next, the £425,000 stamp duty barrier for first-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland will be permanently implemented. According to Zoopla data, almost 80% of first-time purchasers do not pay stamp duty.
The party has committed to eventually outlawing no-fault evictions for renters; this policy was first suggested in 2019 but has been put off. Additionally, landlords can sell to current renters for a two-year tax relief. However, landlord associations claim this doesn’t solve the lack of rental properties.
Tax help for the self-employed
The removal of National Insurance (NI) for independent contractors is one unexpected aspect of the manifesto. At the moment, they pay 2% on profits over £50,270 and 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270. Given that there are over four million independent contractors, it seems sense for the Conservatives to want to do something.
The cut, which would cost £2.6 billion annually, is promised by the conclusion of the next Parliament. This is in addition to the £5 billion annual cost of cutting employee NI by a another 2p by 2027, on top of the 4p already slashed in 2024.
The removal of National Insurance (NI) for independent contractors is one unexpected aspect of the manifesto. At the moment, they pay 2% on profits over £50,270 and 6% on profits between £12,570 and £50,270. Given that there are over four million independent contractors, it seems sense for the Conservatives to want to do something.
The cut, which would cost £2.6 billion annually, is promised by the conclusion of the next Parliament. This is in addition to the £5 billion annual cost of cutting employee NI by a another 2p by 2027, on top of the 4p already slashed in 2024.
Additionally, an increase in retirees’ personal tax-free stipend is promised. This would prevent income tax from being applied to future increases in the state pension, which would be set at the higher of 2.5% (the triple lock), salary increases, or inflation. Individuals who are under pension age will have to pay more taxes on their income during the next Parliament since both the Conservatives and Labour have stated that they will stick with the income tax threshold freeze that was put in place when Rishi Sunak was chancellor.
According to Mr. Sunak, a £6 billion annual crackdown on tax evasion and a £12 billion annual reduction in the welfare spending by the end of the next Parliament will pay for these tax cuts. It is believed that both savings are unlikely at worst and doubtful at best by analysts including the Institute for Fiscal Studies think tank.
This would apply to the whole of the UK.
Tougher sentences and new prisons
The Conservatives have promised to impose harsher penalties for crimes like assaults against store employees, grooming, and knife crimes. However, officials anticipate that prisons in England and Wales may reach capacity in the coming weeks due to an overcrowding crisis. This begs the question of where these felons might go. To make room, prisoners are already being released early. The Tories had earlier declared that they would implement the largest jail-building program in more than a century, with 20,000 extra prison spaces to be added by the middle of the 2020s. 6,000 additional locations have been built thus far, although that goal has not been reached.
The party aims to project an image of being strong on crime, which is generally well-received by its base of traditional voters. It has promised to add 8,000 more community police personnel. Some in law enforcement, however, warn us that while it’s one thing to want to hire more police, it’s another to keep them on staff.
The Metropolitan Police Federation said in April that low morale and compensation were the reasons roughly one-third of officers intended to retire. Recruitment, retention, and morale have all been negatively impacted by recent scandals, which range from WhatsApp groups disclosing racist opinions to the murder of Sarah Everard in London by a serving police officer.
Wales and England would be covered by this.
Regular flights to Rwanda
The manifesto emphasizes that there will be a “regular rhythm of flights every month, starting this July,” which highlights the intention to transport certain asylum seekers to Rwanda. The Rwanda plan might succeed in court and gain traction, but it is quite unlikely that a regular rhythm will be established so quickly.
The first theoretical flight date has already been postponed by ministers to no sooner than July 24. Approximately twelve significant challenges are pending before London’s judges; all of them may end up to the Supreme Court.
Furthermore, it appears that the UK’s agreement with Rwanda only covers the transfer of 300 migrants at this time. That is fewer than half of the total number of people who have crossed the English Channel in just one month. Based on official data, the UK would have to pay Rwanda £541 million over a five-year period, or £1.8 million for each person who is moved, if 300 persons are sent. We are unsure of the remaining funds the government has allocated in order to make monthly flights a reality.
This would apply to the whole of the UK.
Increased defence spending
The assurance of security has been a major campaign subject for the Conservatives. The pledge to dedicate 2.5 percent of GDP to defense spending is at the core of that. 2% is the current NATO objective.
Meeting the new aim “by” or “in” 2030 is mentioned throughout the manifesto in a variety of ways. Conservative insiders revealed in private that they intended to increase defense spending overall each year.
Their intention is to set themselves apart from Labour, which has committed to hitting the 2.5% mark, but only if the economy permits it. The Conservatives are attempting to imply to voters that supporting Labour would be dangerous. Against what he described as “an uncertain Keir Starmer,” Mr. Sunak asserted that only the Tories could maintain Britain’s security.
This would apply to the whole of the UK.
An end to ‘low-quality’ degrees
The Conservatives’ pledge to eliminate university programs in England that have high dropout rates or that don’t improve the lives of graduates expands on their current authority. If courses don’t meet certain standards for quality, the Office for Students, which oversees institutions, already takes action. According to estimates, this only affects 3% of pupils right now. Additional courses may fit into this category if prospective graduation earnings are taken into consideration.
Alternatively, the party’s goal is to finance 100,000 more apprenticeships annually by the conclusion of the next Parliament. Only if employers desire to build them will this be possible.
There is a strong emphasis on addressing parents’ concerns in schools, which includes mandating that mobile phone use be prohibited during school hours. The Conservatives also highlight their track record of increasing reading and math skills in comparison to other nations. In the meanwhile, schools are focused on keeping up standards despite their stagnant finances. England’s per-pupil funding is just over 2010 levels, so the pledge made by the incoming Parliament to keep up with inflation will be applauded.
Since education is decentralized, these laws would only be applicable in England.
Net zero without new green charges
The Conservatives continue to attempt to walk a thin line on climate. They say they’ll meet their goal of reaching net zero by 2050 but without what Rishi Sunak calls “unaffordable eco-zealotry”.
The challenge is the Climate Change Committee, the UK’s independent watchdog on climate, has already warned that the UK isn’t on track to meet its ambitious promise to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 68% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2030.
They’re adamant there will be no new green levies or charges and promise any big new decisions on climate will be put to a vote in Parliament. Local communities will be able to vote on new onshore wind projects and low traffic neighbourhoods.
But at the same time, they say they will accelerate the rollout of renewables – trebling offshore wind, for example – and will approve new small “modular” nuclear power stations the rollout of renewables – trebling offshore wind, for example – and will approve new small “modular” nuclear power stations.
This would apply to the whole of the UK.
Cuts to welfare and civil service numbers
The Conservatives claim that they will find savings elsewhere to pay for £17 billion in tax cuts by 2030, which would include reducing National Insurance for independent contractors. The figures are subject to challenge because, like any manifestos, they are predicated on the party’s assumptions.
Most importantly, the Conservatives seek to alter welfare payments in order to save £12 billion. However, prior studies suggest that it can be challenging to reduce the cost of benefits tied to disabilities in particular. There are about 2.8 million people unemployed as a result of chronic illness.
The amount of money that can be saved by toughening up on tax evaders is also unknown.
Primarily through tightening spending plans to finance tax pledges, the Tories seek to advance their agenda of tax cuts. However, taking into account all taxes and existing policies, such as the freezing of tax thresholds, the tax burden—that is, the revenue collected compared to the income of the economy—remains poised to reach its highest level since 1948.
As for funding spending obligations, such as defending the country, plans call for reducing the number of government servants in order to save £3.9 billion. Amidst a pandemic and while negotiators worked on post-Brexit trade negotiations, Whitehall numbers surged. However, those cuts, along with proposals to save £550 million by laying off 5,500 NHS managers, might be overly ambitious.
The UK as a whole would be covered by this.
Three-strikes notice for renters who are unsociable
The Conservatives claim that in order to facilitate the eviction of tenants who engage in antisocial behavior, they would implement a three-strikes-and-you’re-out policy.
New “local connection” and “UK connection” tests are also promised by the manifesto for social housing in England to guarantee that it is distributed “fairly.” It’s important to note that 90% of social housing are rented by British nationals, according to the homelessness charity Crisis.
The party’s 2019 manifesto included a pledge to eradicate rough sleeping as well. According to government statistics, the number of people who roughslept in England decreased by 9% between 2019 and 2023. Data dropped precipitously during the epidemic, during the “Everyone In” program, then rose by 27% the following year.
Due to devolved housing, these policies would only be applicable in England.
New dentists tied to NHS
The manifesto only devotes a tiny amount of space on health and care.
The majority of Tory pledges reiterate goals and policies that have been in place for the last five years, such as raising the number of physicians and nurses by 120,000 and capping health care expenses starting in 2019. However, there was potential for a fresh approach to dentistry, with the assurance that new dentists would be employed by the NHS for a certain period of time after qualifying or face having to pay back their training costs.
The 2019 manifesto goal of 40 new hospitals was also mentioned, however it is currently the subject of controversy as the National Audit Office has warned that several of the plans are running behind schedule.
Nevertheless, money was a crucial component that was absent. The manifesto only promises annual increases that are higher than inflation. However, there have only been a few instances in the NHS’s history where the budget has not increased in real terms, so this is nothing new.
A cap on social care costs
If the Conservatives win the election, they intend to implement their plan, which calls for a cap of £86,00 on social care expenses for the elderly and disabled in England. It implies that no one would spend more than that on lifetime personal care.
Its introduction in October 2025 is the current plan, however funding is not yet known.
To pay for it, a one-penny rise in National Insurance was proposed, which was quickly abandoned despite estimates that it would raise £12 billion.
Additionally, pilot programs to evaluate the care cap’s functionality were discontinued. The participating councils learned early on that there wasn’t enough money.
In response to my question about whether social care leaders could launch a cap in fewer than 18 months, they said that it was feasible but that full funding would be required.
Additionally, the manifesto promises to increase staff recruitment efforts and provide councils with longer-term funding.
A legal limit to migration
By forcing Parliament to set an annual restriction on the number of work and family visas, the Conservatives are pledging to implement a legal limit on immigration. Every year, that amount would decrease. Although the manifesto claims that public services would be safeguarded, there is much debate over the evidence showing that migration harms public services, since it frequently fills labor shortages.
In 2018, the government’s Migration Advisory Committee recommended that the cap on highly skilled migrants be lifted because their contributions to the public coffers are more favorable.
These workers, according to the Migration Advisory Committee, contribute more favorably to public coffers.
Proponents of the plan argue that preventing companies from hiring foreign workers is a wise political move since it would compel corporations to invest in hiring British workers.
In a limited sense, we have been here previously. A skilled workers cap was implemented by the administration of then-Conservative PM David Cameron in 2011, however it was widely criticized, in part because to its effects on the National Health Service (NHS). As a result, ex-Tory PM Boris Johnson removed it following Brexit. Therefore, any new cap would have to absorb the lessons from that plan.
The UK as a whole would be covered by this.
