Politics

General Election 2019 PolicyWatch: Lib Dems promise 20,000 more teachers, Labour ‘wage war’ on poverty and Tories offer justice system cash boost



The Lib Dems are promising to recruit 20,000 more teachers, the Tories says they will give the justice system a cash boost to speed up rape prosecutions and Labour has pledged to “wage war” on poverty.

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.

 

Liberal Democrats: 20,000 more teachers

The Liberal Democrats have pledged to spend an extra £10 billion a year on schools and recruit 20,000 more teachers if they gain power.

As the party launches its General Election manifesto on Wednesday the Lib Dems are promising to reverse frontline school cuts imposed since 2015 with an “emergency cash injection” of £4.6 billion next year.

The Lib Dems insisted that by 2024/25, the party will spend £10.6 billion more on schools than in 2019/20.

The money will help boost teacher numbers by 20,000 over five years, they said.

 

Conservatives: Cash boost to speed up rape prosecutions

The criminal justice system will receive an extra £15 million to speed up prosecutions for rape if the Conservatives win the General Election, the party has pledged.

The package of measures would support police and the Crown Prosecution Service in handling rape cases with £10 million to speed up charging decisions.

Funding for the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund would double by 2021-22 to £16 million and there would be a £2 million boost to increase the number of independent sexual violence advisers.

The plans include a previous funding pledge of £5 million that has yet to kick in.

 

Labour: ‘Wage war’ on poverty

Labour has accused the Tories of dragging large swathes of the UK’s population into poverty after almost a decade at the helm.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has vowed a Labour administration will “wage war” on poverty if it takes power after the December 12 election, with policies designed to eradicate low pay and food bank use.

A report due to be published by the party on Wednesday is set to outline how the Conservatives have failed to tackle poverty and hardship in society.

The Tories responded by accusing Labour of “peddling lies and misleading statistics for political gain”.

The report, Poverty Britain, will set out the 10 ways in which poverty has risen and living standards have fallen since 2010.

According to the analysis, food banks have given out 65 million meals in the past five years – enough for one per person in the UK.

Labour has committed to halving the number of food bank handouts needed within a year of gaining office.



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