The Liberal Democrats would seek to bring the UK back into the European Union’s single market, the party says in its manifesto.
While health and social assistance policies were at the heart of his election campaign, the 114-page document also includes the aim of “putting the UK-EU relationship on a more formal and stable basis, seeking to join the single market”.
Latest general election: Lib Dem leader reveals plan to ‘save the NHS’
The party also has a “long-term ambition” to return to the EU.
This is a more discreet commitment than his policy of “stopping Brexit” in 2019 – a slogan on the cover of his manifesto in that election year.
Like the other main parties, the Liberal Democrats have been relatively calm about Brexit since then.
However, speaking during the launch of the manifesto, the leader Sir Ed Davey called the Lib Dems “the most pro-European party in British politics”.
“We are proud of it,” he added.
Asked if reintegration into the EU is something he intends to see in the next parliament, Sir Ed said “it will take time, unfortunately because the Conservatives have done so much damage”.
“We believe that, in the long term, we need to return to the heart of Europe, but we will not pretend that this will be easy,” he said.
The pledges for Europe come on top of a £9 billion package of commitments to improve the health and social care system.
Ed Davey
This includes plans to recruit 8,000 more GPs, the right to see a GP within seven days, increase cancer survival rates and introduce free personal care for the elderly and disabled.
The party plans to raise around £5 billion by reforming capital gains tax (CGT), which is paid on profits from the sale of assets such as shares or property.
Currently, CGT is set below the income tax rate, something seen by many as unfair.
Around £4 billion will come from the reversal of a tax cut granted to big banks.
The manifesto, titled For A Fair Deal, also promises not to increase income tax, VAT or social security.
Other pledges announced Monday include:
• A plan to tackle the sewage crisis, ban bonuses for CEOs of water companies and place environmental experts on company boards.
• A Theft Response Guarantee to ensure every theft is attended by a police officer.
• Free school meals for an additional 900,000 children living in poverty, and the ambition to extend this to all primary school children whenever public finances allow.
• Eliminate the First Past The Post voting system and replace it with proportional representation
Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats. Photo: PA
Sir Ed Davey called it “a manifesto to save the NHS”.
The Liberal Democrats are targeting traditional conservative voters in the so-called “blue wall”, with polls projecting that they could quadruple their current number of seats in a parliament expected to be dominated by a huge Labor majority.
Asked how his ideas could have any impact over the next five years if Labor wins a landslide victory, Sir Ed said success “results in the election of many Lib Dem MPs”.
He said: “I want (voters) to see that we have great ideas, great candidates. And the more of us they vote for, the more we can get real change, because we are the party that really delivers change, whether it’s in the political system or in healthcare and care.”
He added that his manifesto was fully funded and that the costs were made “cautiously”.
“An election should be about ideas. And we have the best.”
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