UKIP’s 2015 manifesto was launched today in Thurrock (perhaps a slightly insensitive choice of location, given that the document was presented by Suzanne Evans, who took over writing it from Tim Aker MEP, their Thurrock candidate). The party was at pains to emphasise that it was not only costed but had been checked by the CEBR.
The full document is online here. Here is a quick run-through of the most notable policies:
Defence
Farage made clear in the Telegraph this morning his intention to make the Conservatives squirm on defence. Three pledges particularly stand out:
- Implement the NATO target of 2 per cent of GDP to be spent on defence.
- Build a dedicated, 500 bed military hospital.
- Exempt members of the Armed Forces from paying income tax when overseas.
NHS
- Abolish hospital parking charges.
- Spend £12 billion more on the NHS.
Welfare and social care
- Abolish the so-called “bedroom tax”.
- Pay carers an extra £572 a year.
Housing
- Remove stamp duty on the first £250,000 for new homes built on brownfield sites.
Tax
- Remove those on the Minimum Wage from Income Tax by raising the threshold to £13,000.
- Raise the 40p Income Tax threshold to £55,000 and introduce a new 30p band starting at £43,500.
Deficit
- Support George Osborne’s deficit reduction plan.
Transport
Constitution and the Union
- Abolish the Barnett Formula and move to a replacement system.
- Reduce the number of MPs are redraw the parliamentary boundaries.
- Abolish DECC, DfID and DCMS.
- Introduce a right for voters to recall their MPs, and a Bill to assist parties in holding Open Primary selections.
- Hold a national referendum every two years on a topic receiving over two million signatures.
Immigration
- Ban unskilled migrants for five years.
- Introduce an “Australian-style points system” for skilled migrants.
Policing
- Reduce the number of police forces.
Education
- Give existing secondary schools the opportunity to become grammar schools if they wish.
The EU
- Leave the EU via an in/out referendum “as soon as possible”.