The Conservatives
The centre right party, officially known as the Conservative and Unionist Party, had 298 MPs in the Commons when the election was called, meaning it would need to win another 28 seats on Dec. 12 to govern on its own. In the last parliament, the Tories relied on a "Confidence and Supply Agreement" with the DUP after failing to win an outright majority in the 2017 election.
The party is led by Boris Johnson, who faces the ballot box as Prime Minister for the first time, having taken control of the Tories and the country in July 2019 when Theresa May stepped aside. He called this poll after well documented battles over Brexit.
- Brexit: the Tories promise to take the UK out of the EU by the end of January 2020, the latest deadline set for Brexit.
- Health: the manifesto pledges 50 million more GP appointments every year. It also commits to 50,000 new nurses for the NHS, 40 new hospitals over ten years and an end to hospital car parking charges for disabled and terminally ill patients.
- Education: the party is committed to boosting funding by £14 billion and raising teachers' starting salaries to £30,000 a year while tuition fees would be frozen.
- Childcare: there would be a new fund of £1 billion to provide more childcare before and after school and the holidays.
- Housing: insulation in 200,000 social housing properties would be improved.
- Environment: the UK would reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while transporting plastic waste outside the area covered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development would be banned.
- Social Care: no one will have to sell their home to pay for care and the party pledges to form a cross party consensus on care plans in the future.
- Crime: there's a promise to put 20,000 more police officers on the streets and immediate arrest for those carrying and using knives.
- Personal Finance: there would be no rises in Income Tax, VAT or National Insurance under a new Tory government while pensions will go up by 2.5% a year.
- Economy: there will be lower taxes for businesses while the Tories also promise post-Brexit free trade deals that will improve the quality of life in the UK.
- Transport: the party promises a fund of £2 billion to tackle potholes and another £29 billion to improve roads while there is also a pledge for a new rail line between Manchester and Leeds.
- Immigration: the Tories commit to an Australian style points system to determine who is allowed to enter and remain in the United Kingdom.
The full Conservative manifesto was published on Nov. 24.
The Conservatives launched their manifesto on Nov. 24, with the slogan "Let's Get Brexit Done".