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GE15: Political manifestos of old and new ideas
by Susie Hughes at 11:00 16/04/15 (Political News)
The leading political parties have now published their manifestos in the run up to the General Election containing a mixture of existing announcement, polished off policies and new aims and ideals.
Given most polls currently predict coalition Governments of a variety of shapes and sizes, most of these policies could be bargaining tools in the not too distant future.

The main policies affecting freelancers and small businesses are:

Conservatives

  • No rise in VAT, national insurance contributions or income tax
  • A crackdown on tax evasion and the 'aggressive' avoidance of tax
  • Spend £100bn on infrastructure in the next Parliament
  • Achieve full employment by helping businesses create two million extra jobs over the course of the next Parliament
  • Create 3 million new apprenticeships
  • Cut £10bn of red tape over the next Parliament
  • Give businesses 'the most competitive taxes of any major economy'
  • Replace Jobseeker's Allowance for 18-21 year-olds with a Youth Allowance time-limited to six months. after which, they will have to take an apprenticeship or traineeship or do community work to claim benefits
  • Increase the minimum wage to £6.70 by the autumn and to £8 by the end of the decade
  • Invest £6.9bn in the UK's research infrastructure up to 2021
  • Improved 'near superfast' broadband for rural areas
  • Take everyone earning less than £12,500 out of income tax
  • Those working 30 hours a week and earning the minimum wage will not pay income tax on earnings
  • Raise the threshold for the 40p rate of tax to £50,000
  • Cap skilled migration from outside the EU at 20,700
  • Aim for annual net migration in the tens of thousands and reduce the incentive for EU migrants to settle in the UK
  • Give those who work for large companies and the public sector an entitlement to Volunteering Leave for three days per year

Labour

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  • A ban zero-hours contracts deemed to be 'exploitative'
  • Raising the minimum wage to more than £8 by October 2019
  • No increase to the basic or higher rates of income tax, National Insurance or VAT.
  • Bring back the 50p top income tax rate for those earning over £150,000
  • End the non-dom rule that allows some wealthy UK residents to limit the tax they pay on earnings outside the country
  • Cut and then freeze business rates
  • Guarantee an apprenticeship for all school leavers who attain certain grades
  • Require any firm that is awarded a large Government contract to offer apprenticeships
  • Create a "gold-standard technical baccalaureate" for 16 to-18-year olds
  • Double paternity leave to four weeks, with paternity pay increased by more than £100 a week
  • Introduce a compulsory jobs guarantee, which will 'provide a paid starter job for every young person unemployed for over a year'
  • Ban MPs from holding paid directorships and consultancies

LibDems

  • Increasing the personal tax-free allowance to £12,500
  • Create a fair plan to reduce the deficit by ensuring the rich pay 'their fair share' and corporations are unable to avoid 'tax responsibilities'
  • Create new fiscal rules to balance the budget, but also allow for productive investment
  • Double spending on innovation in the economy
  • Allow high-skill immigration to support key sectors of the economy
  • Grow a competitive banking sector, supporting "alternative finance providers "
  • Prioritise small and medium-sized enterprises for any business tax cuts
  • Push for a Land Value Tax to replace business rates
  • Raise the Personal Allowance to at least £12,500 by the end of the next Parliament
  • Take 'tough' action against corporate tax evasion and avoidance
  • Remove a number of distortions, loopholes and excess reliefs from the tax system
  • Pay a living wage set by an independent review to workers in all central government departments and their agencies from April 2016
  • Consult on allowing employees on zero-hours contracts to request a fixed contract
  • Double the numbers of businesses hiring apprentices
  • Roll out high-speed broadband to reach 99.9 per cent of households
  • Extend Freedom of Information laws to cover private companies delivering public services.

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Susie Hughes © Shout99 2015

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