'Change Britain's future by changing the opposition'
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron will launch his party’s manifesto with a speech in London tonight, confirming the party’s flagship promise of a second referendum on Brexit.
Although is treating this election as an opportunity to move on to the official opposition benches rather than into government, the manifesto includes a full suite of policy proposals, including:
- A referendum on the final EU deal
- Adding a penny to every pound to income tax rates to fund the NHS
- £14bn per year in spending pledges, compared to Labour’s £48bn
- Legalising cannabis, with £1bn in revenue to be generated through taxation of the drug
- Reversing corporate tax cuts
- 300,000 homes to be built by 2022, as part of a £100bn infrastructure programme
- A ban on diesel cars
- An expansion of the Syria refugee resettlement scheme, to include 50,000 people over five years
The manifesto is a clear play for the metropolitan, pro-Remain segment of the Lib Dem vote. However, that may not serve the party well in its former heartlands in the West Country.
Additionally, it is difficult to see how the unusual approach of aiming to stay in opposition will play out with voters.
See: I’m a Brighton Lib Dem and I’m proud that our local party stood aside for Caroline Lucas
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One Response to “Lib Dem manifesto promises legal cannabis, increased spending and a second referendum”
Yvonne
To have their policies taken seriously the lib dems need to be absolutely clear about what would be a red line policy before they would ever consider going into coalition. Otherwise there is a real danger of a repeat of the free university tuition fees fiasco and anything they say now is totally meaningless. We cannot risk having our young people feeling they have been cheated yet again.