Politics

General Election 2019 PolicyWatch: Labour NHS ‘rescue’ plan, Conservative clean energy ‘revolution’ and Lib Dem £500m fund to tackle knife crime



Labour has pledged to create an NHS ‘rescue’ fund, the Tories are planning a clean-energy “revolution” and the Lib Dems have vowed to set aside £500 million to tackle knife crime.

Campaigning is well under way for the general election and keeping up with the latest promises, policies and pledges from the parties can be difficult.

Here are latest announcements on issues from parties as they seek to win your vote on December 12.

 

Labour: £26bn ‘rescue plan’ for NHS

Labour will today vow to outspend the Tories on health funding as they unveil a £26 billion “rescue plan” for the NHS ahead of the general election.

The party said its proposal will provide safe, quality care, recruit thousands of staff, rebuild crumbling facilities and provide modern state-of-the-art equipment.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth will announce the “rescue” plan to “end the Tory NHS crisis” with a £26 billion real-terms – £40 billion in cash terms – healthcare funding boost.

The commitment amounts to £6bn more than the funding pledged last year by the Conservative government.

In a speech at the Royal Society of Medicine, they are expected to announce an annual average 4.3 per cent funding increase for health spending over the next four years, funded from Labour’s proposals to reverse corporation tax cuts and tax the wealthiest people in society.

The plan includes NHS capital expenditure rising to the international average, £1 billion-a-year training and education budgets, and £1 billion more to fund an expansion of public health services.

There will be a focused drive on prevention measures to stop people getting sick, as part of Labour’s mission to tackle health inequalities and prioritise children’s health and well-being.

 

Conservatives: Clean energy ‘revolution’ after Brexit

Boris Johnson will today promise a “clean energy revolution” after Brexit is delivered as he says a Tory government would spearhead the drive to tackle climate change.

Speaking at an electric vehicle manufacturer in the West Midlands, Mr Johnson is to say the Tories will harnesses the power of science, innovation and technology to tackle global warming and create high-skilled, high-wage jobs.

“We face a historic choice. At this election the country can either move forwards with policies that will deliver years of growth and prosperity, or it can disappear into an intellectual cul-de-sac of far left Corbynism,” he will say.

 

Liberal Democrats: £500m fund to tackle knife crime

A £500 million investment in youth services aimed at combating knife crime will be launched by the Liberal Democrats if they gain power, leader Jo Swinson said.

Ms Swinson said the party would adopt a public health approach to dealing with youth violence.

The party said the annual £500 million fund would be ring fenced and “provide young people with positive, safe and healthy opportunities to prevent them being drawn into youth violence and gang-related crime”.

The Lib Dems insisted they would also make local youth services a statutory provision, which they say would protect them from future cuts.

The party said the next government should model its policies on tackling youth violence on the approach taken by Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit.

This would involve identifying risk factors and treating them early on, with youth workers, police, teachers, health professionals and social services all working closely together to prevent young people falling into gangs and violence.



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