Feel this election campaign has been a bit light on policy so far? So do we. Stealing a march on the parties’ official manfesto launches, we asked our readers what they would like to see in their favoured party’s pitch to the nation.
Sifting through the thousands of policy ideas we received for each party, certain ideas and themes emerged. How will our readers’ suggestions tally with the real thing? As the Conservatives are reportedly preparing last-minute rewrites to their own manifestio, in search of positive and ‘eye-catching’ ideas, we thought we would start with them.
The responses we received highlighted the bind the party find themselves in. Once we’d rejected the policies suggested by satirists (“mandatory wearing of flat caps by all people of Northern heritage”) and other mickey-takers, our would-be Conservative voters fell into two distinct categories: those who want the party to continue its drift rightwards to tackle the thread of Ukip, and those suggesting policies hinting at a more progressive, centrist approach. How do the party appeal to both, while sticking to its key narrative of economic competence?
1) Raise the minimum wage
David Cameron asked business leaders to “pass on [the] good economic news to workers” in a speech in February, in the form of higher wages. Our readers would rather the Conversatives forced the issue through legislation. “Make the minimum wage a liveable wage and make zero hour contracts illegal,” said one reader. “Anyone working full-time on the minimum wage pays no tax,” added another.
2) Simplify tax and increase the tax threshold (but clamp down on tax avoidance)
Elsewhere, they are on more traditional Tory - or liberal - lines, with demands to simplify the tax code and increase the income tax threshold - the latter a Lib Dem policy, with Clegg wanting to increase the threshold to £11,000.
Alongside a desire for simplified and lower taxes was a desire to see a level playing field - interesting in the context of Labour announcement on non-doms. “Commit to enacting laws to ensure multinationals pay their fair share of tax with criminal sactions for executives who avoid tax,” said one.
There were also calls for inheritance tax to be scrapped entirely.
3) Cut benefits even further
The would-be Conservative voters we heard from demanded greater cuts to benefits in the next parliament. The Tories have already proposed significant welfare cuts if they win in May, though quite where these cuts will come from is unclear. “My mum chose to stay in work on principle when she could have earned more in benefits. This is why I find it astonishing the current benefits cap is £26,000,” said one respondent.
4) Do more about the North / South divide if the party are to continue to be electable
Emma Bergin listed “improving [the] economy in the North of England” as a key priority. “There is a huge disparity in favour of the south at present”, said Alan Griffith, an ex-Londoner. “Why not start the building of the high speed train in Leeds; and build the proposed new airport runway in Birmingham, the centre of the country, rather than in the south.”
5) Massively increase the number of apprenticeships
It was hardly ‘education, education education’, but our Tory-inclined readers were worried people from less priviledged backgrounds were being denied the ability to “get on”. “A mass expansion of apprenticeships would provide non-academic people with a qualification that can potentially rival degrees,” said Matthew Edwards. “People should be paid a real wage when in apprenticeships,” added another reader.
6)... and bring back grammar schools
An increase in grammar schools is a flagship policy for Ukip, but our readers pressed the Tories to embrace a similar pledge, with little enthusiasm for the expanded academy and free schools program overseen by Michael Gove. “We need more social mobility”, said David Cobb, who proposed ‘ring-fencing’ the most deprived areas of the country and building new grammar schools and technical colleges there.
7) Build more houses (but help more people get on the property ladder)
Thatcher’s dream of a property-owning democracy is in crisis, with the average age of the first-time buyer rising and many younger voters facing up to a life in the rental sector. Our readers demanded the Tories commit to a large house-building programme, incorporating minimum targets for affordable housing. But they also wanted Right to Buy and Help to Buy extended. “Encourage private developers to build more houses - force councils to expedite planning permission and stamp out the NIMBYS,” said one.
8) Reform the EU (and give us the opportunity to leave it)
Foreign policy was tackled by our Conservative-leaning readers, but largely in terms of Europe and immigration. Cameron has already pledged a referendum by the end of 2017, in an attempt to appeal to those contemplating a vote for Ukip. Our readers were split on whether the party should campaign for full withdrawal, with a majority in favour of Cameron’s promise to renegotiate terms, arguing Britain needs to take advantage of shared economic values while being wary of closer political union.
9) Pick a number on immigration (and stick to it)
Interestingly, immigration was very much secondary in our potential voters’ concerns, behind the likes of tax, wages, the economy and housing. One reader even complained about the “hysteria” over EU migrants. But the majority demanded a “realistic” cap be stuck to this time, with a greater clampdown on non-EU migrants in particular.
10) Scrap commitment to overseas aid
It was the one policy that Ed Miliband praised Cameron for championing during the televised election debates, but our readers suggested the Conservatives end their international aid commitments - currently set at 0.7% of GDP - and commit the money to securing tax cuts for low earners.
Now it’s over to you. What policy commitments should the Conservatives make in their manifesto? Share your ideas below the line
