Stats for UK General Election, June 8th, 2017
Election Issues
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Economy
- Targeting tax increases at high earners only is an ineffective way of raising revenue
- To encourage economic growth, the UK's corporation tax rates should be decreased
- To fund public services, a financial transactions tax should be levied
- The UK government should expand its ownership of strategically important companies and utilities
- The UK should borrow substantially more money to invest in national infrastructure, even if this increases the national debt
- To fund public services, there should be a small increase in income tax for all earners
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Brexit
- Leaving the EU's Single Market is a worthwhile price to pay to gain control over immigration to the UK
- Once talks with the EU are complete, there should be a second referendum on whether to accept the Brexit deal or remain a member of the EU
- The UK should remain a member of the EU
- Even if there is no transitional UK-EU trade deal in place, the UK should leave the EU in 2019
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Health
- There should be no role for private sector operators within the NHS
- New taxes raised to support the NHS should be earmarked solely for NHS spending
- Social care costs above a threshold of £100,000 should be met by individuals' estates, including the value of their family home
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Workers' Rights and Pensions
- The UK's minimum wage should be raised to £10 per hour by 2020
- Zero hours contracts facilitate flexible working and should not be banned
- The UK government should maintain the ‘triple lock’ of increasing the state pension each year
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Education
- University tuition fees should be abolished
- The government should dedicate resources to opening new selective 'grammar' schools
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Social security and Housing
- The 'bedroom tax' should be scrapped
- The UK government should invest substantially in expanding the number of council houses built in the term of the next parliament
- The government should introduce legislation that caps landlords' ability to raise rents
- Unemployed people who fail to seek a job or accept training should have their benefits sanctioned
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The Political System
- The voting age should be reduced to 16 in UK elections and referendums
- A system of proportional representation should be adopted for UK general elections
- Wales should aim to become an independent country
- Substantially more powers should be given to the National Assembly for Wales
- The House of Lords should be reformed so that all of its members are democratically elected
- Wales is currently unfairly underfunded by the UK government
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Environment
- The government should do more to tackle climate change, even if this increases costs for industry
- Regulated 'fracking' of shale gas and oil should be allowed by the UK government
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Foreign Policy and Defence
- The UK should maintain the 'special relationship' with the USA in international affairs
- Renewal of the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system should be cancelled
- The UK should continue to spend 0.7% of its national income on overseas aid
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Social Issues and Crime
- The UK should dramatically expand its number of police officers, even if this means cuts in other public services or tax increases
- For those convicted of a crime, there should be more of an emphasis on rehabilitation than on punishment
- Burkas and other face-covering garments should be banned from being worn in public
- The recreational use of cannabis should be legalised
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Immigration
- Immigration contributes significantly to the UK's prosperity
- Net immigration to the UK should be reduced to below 100,000 per year
- Too much immigration has undermined British culture and identity