We’re breaking down the key highlights of each manifesto to help you make the best decision you can at the ballot box this July.
With TikTok, Instagram, 24 hour news, YouTube and more, there’s more information than ever at our disposal. However for many of us, that hasn’t made understanding politics any easier, especially during an election.
Naked Politics’ Manifesto Breakdown Series is here to help you decide which party- if any- you might consider voting for, by cutting through the petty politics and looking at what matters: the policies.
The Liberal Democrats' fluctuating popularity since their 2010 coalition with the Tories makes predicting their success in this year's election tricky. Their 2019 campaign was a let-down, with the party failing to gain a single seat, the leader Jo Swinson losing her seat, and their anti-Brexit stance (which their 2019 manifesto centred) failing to achieve a better outcome.
Perhaps their legacy was still - and may still be- be marred by their infamous U-turn on tuition fees, which many young voters haven't forgotten. However, their recent success in the 2024 local elections, where they gained 104 new council seats, shows a potential comeback. Maybe due to disillusionment with Labour and the Conservatives, or genuine efforts at grassroots levels to engage local communities, the 4th of July will further paint a clearer picture about how successful the party’s campaign to restore their image has been.
So what are The Liberal Democrat party offering you this election? Read below to find out more.
Climate change
Much like 2019, Liberal Democrat Party's manifesto prioritises fostering and improving the UK’ relationship with the EU, so their approach to the climate crises involves collaborating with Europe to tackle the climate emergency.
The Lib Dems are promising to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, with strategies which include making electric cars more affordable, mandating zero-emission vehicles by 2030 and investing in active travel and public transportation. They also propose all new buildings to meet zero- carbon standards, while taxing oil and gas companies' super profits, and preventing water companies from polluting waterways. Ending fossil fuel subsidies is another priority, with funds being redirected to solar and wind power, with the goal of ensuring that the majority of electricity is generated by solar, wind, and sea by 2030. The party will also support local communities in generating their own renewable sources of energy, and intends to plant at least 60 million trees each year as part of their efforts to combat climate change.
Healthcare
The Lib Dems present a wide range of policies on healthcare and have kept children and young people in mind especially when it comes to mental health.
Broadly, the party intends to ensure that individuals have the right to see a GP within 7 days or 24 hours for emergencies, and urgent dental care. This will involve increasing the number of full-time GPs by 8,000 and a universal 24/7 GP booking system, to ensure care is delivered in a timely manner.
Recognising the importance of mental health support for young people, the party proposes extending young people's mental health services up to the age of 25, regular mental health check ups at key points in people’s lives and requiring a mental health professionals in every school. Additionally, the party intends to offer free NHS prescriptions for those struggling with chronic mental illness and investing in specialist youth support services for people struggling with drug addiction.
To take this further, the Lib Dems propose the legalisation and regulation and sale of cannabis for those over 18, in an effort to take ‘skunk’ off the streets and protect young people from drug gangs. Taking a less punitive approach to drug policy, the party will also transfer this policy responsibility from the Home Office to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Housing
As part of its housing policy, the party commits to building 380,000 homes annually across the UK, including 150,000 social housing units. As a result, local authorities will also be allowed to end Right to Buy schemes in their areas. For private renters, the Lib Dems promise to swiftly ban no-fault evictions, and introduce three year tenancies as defaults, in the interests of stability for renters.
While we couldn’t find any explicit considerations for young people regarding housing or homeownership opportunities, a policy which younger demographics in social housing may benefit of, is the Lib Dems’ proposal for a new Rent to Own model for social housing, which means renters will own the properties they live in, after 30 years of making regular rental payments.
Employment, wages and tax
The Liberal Democrats’ vision to improve the job market for younger demographics seems to heavily rely on their promise to invest in education and training, which includes a focus on increasing the availability of apprenticeships and ensuring all apprentices are paid at least the National Minimum Wage.
The party also has something for those self employed, in the gig economy or on zero hour contracts. They will make the Prompt Payment Code a mandatory business practice, ensuring that contractors receive timely payments; for those on zero-hour contracts, the Lib Dems propose a 20% higher minimum wage during normal demand periods and the right to request a fixed-hours contract after 12 months. They also intend to review pension rules to protect gig economy workers. To make sure that employees, contractors, and freelancers are treated equally, the Liberal Democrats have promised to ‘fix’ the work visa system, expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme, and reviewing tax and national insurance rules.
They will also support employee ownership by encouraging employers to allow staff to request shares within large companies. Longer term goals for the party include cutting income tax by raising the tax-free personal allowance (which would benefit low income workers), and reforming capital gains tax to limit exploitation from the super rich.
Education
In line with repairing the UK’s relationship with Europe, a key policy in education for the Lib Dems is to reinstate the UK’s participation in the Erasmus Plus programme, which allowed young people to study, teach, and volunteer abroad.
Though the Lib Dems have not made any promises regarding abolition tuition fees once more, they promise to reinstate maintenance grants for lower income students, and a Lifelong Skills Grant of £5,000 to spend on education and training for adults. They will also mandate for all universities to observe a Student Mental Health Charter, ensuring students have access to mental health services while studying.
Additionally, the party plans to provide free school meals to all children in need, and to introduce a Young People's Premium to extend funding for disadvantaged 16-18-year-olds.
Migration
The Liberal Democrats' migration policies begin with ending the Conservatives’ Hostile Environment, which includes abolishing the Migration Act and the Rwanda scheme introduced by the Tories, instead focusing on upholding the Refugee Convention, and creating safe and legal pathways for refugees. Asylum seekers are also going to be able to work after three months waiting for a decision. They describe the Home Office as ‘not fit for purpose’ and promise to ensure Windrush scandal victims receive compensation outside the existing Home Office scheme.
For young people, the expansion of the Youth Mobility Scheme involves eliminating visa fees, raising the age limit from 30 to 35, and extending visa duration to three years. The party will also shift responsibility for work visas and international student policies out of the Home Office to other departments.
Social Justice
Young people over the age of 16 can expect the right to vote, under a Liberal Democrat government and an end to the voter ID scheme. The party will also appoint a Minister for Children and Young People, to work on behalf of this demographic.
On benefits, they intend to remove the two-child limit as well as the benefit cap, and ensure that Universal Credit is increased annually.
Similar to the Green Party on Israel and Palestine, they call for an ‘immediate bilateral ceasefire’
and will officially recognize Palestine as a state however, they go further than the Greens, advocating for a ‘two-state’ solution.
As part of their commitment to protecting people with marginalised identities, the Liberal Democrats promise to ban all forms of conversion therapy, to eliminate medical reports, to legally recognize non-binary identities, and to eliminate the spousal vetoes for them. Additionally, they will allow disabled people the right to work from home, where possible. The party also promises to tackle health inequalities, particularly aiming to end the disproportionately high maternal mortality rates for black women.
On freedoms and rights, the party will put an end to anti-protest laws, end the ‘disproportionate’ use of Stop and Search and immediately stop the use of live facial recognition surveillance by the police and private companies.
Their commitment to personal and reproductive rights includes ensuring access to high-quality care and establishing safe access zones around abortion clinics. They will also introduce a right to free period products.
Read the full manifesto here.
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