Labour’s Rayner ‘dishonest over tax cuts as families face £250 bill’
part of the country, should have a fair chance.”
Key policies: Backing teachers on discipline and expanding an existing programme to help schools with the worst behaviour. Spending pledges: £327million for an arts premium, £783million for upgrading further education colleges and a new National Skills Fund worth £3billion.
IMMIGRATION
The manifesto says: “A majority Conservative Government will introduce a firmer and fairer points-based immigration system.” Key policies: A cut in overall migration numbers, fast-track entry for qualified doctors and nurses with a job offer, EU and international citizens treated equally.
TRANSPORT
The manifesto says: “A key part of our plan to level up the UK’s cities and regions is to connect them.” Key policies: Build Northern Powerhouse Rail between Leeds and Manchester, invest in strengthening rail links in the Midlands, South West and East Anglia, upgrade city bus, tram and train services to be as good as London. Key spending pledges: £28.8billion investment in roads and £1billion for electric vehicle charging points.
SHADOW cabinet minister Angela Rayner was accused of “not being honest” over Labour tax in a TV grilling yesterday.
The shadow education secretary struggled to claim only the rich would lose out if her party takes power but was told millions of ordinary families would be hit by a £250-a-year bill.
Ms Rayner, tipped as a future party leader, also floundered after Labour’s chaotic Brexit policy unravelled further.
On the BBC’s flagship Andrew Marr Show she insisted the party was targeting the top five per cent of taxpayers to cover its spending splurge.
But Labour is committed to scrapping the marriage allowance, which allows three million couples to transfer some of the amount they can earn tax free between them to cut bills by up to £250. Marr said: “I’m really sorry, Angela Rayner, but you are not being honest with the public when you say that only the top five per cent will pay.
“Everybody taking marriage tax allowance is going to lose that under Labour.They are not in the top five per cent. They’re relatively low and medium taxpayers.”
Ms Rayner was also left struggling to explain Labour’s Brexit plan after Jeremy Corbyn confirmed on Friday he would remain neutral in the referendum his party intends to hold on its renegotiated deal.
She was unable to say if a Labour government would even back its own withdrawal agreement, insisting it was a “hypothetical” situation. “We will negotiate a deal and we’ll put that back to the people and they will have the ultimate say, and then we’ll move on,” she added.
An exasperated Marr asked who was going to campaign for the Corbyn-negotiated deal if it was not him, his shadow cabinet or the wider party.
He said: “As things stand you negotiate this deal, you bring it back, the prime minister is neutral, most of the senior members of the cabinet are in favour of Remain – we’re talking about a Labour cabinet now. The party, what we know about the party, is pro-Remain.
“This is going to be the most unloved orphan offered to the British people ever. It’s going to be a referendum between staying inside the EU and an offer that nobody seems to be going to be speaking up for.”