04/01/2005

Howard unveils Conservative election manifesto

Conservative leader Michael Howard has launched the first part of his party's election manifesto, with a promise to stand up for all those people who felt "let down" by Tony Blair's Labour government.

The introduction of the Conservative party's election manifesto pledges a change in direction for Britain, if they win at the polls, and also highlights Mr Howard's core values for government, which include trusting free enterprise, promoting individual responsibility, rewarding hard work, admiring excellence and encouraging ambition: "They are Conservative values and they are the values of the forgotten majority, the people who make up the backbone of our country," Mr Howard said. "They have been forgotten, neglected and taken for granted by Mr Blair. He asked them to trust him and when they did, he let them down."

During a speech in Northamptonshire, Mr Howard stressed how "the forgotten majority" worked hard, saved money for their first home and took responsibility for their families. The Conservative party's policies for the next election, are clearly designed to appeal to this group, focusing on five key areas: delivering lower taxes, ensuring cleaner hospitals, restoring discipline to schools, controlling immigration and providing more police on the streets to combat crime.

The policies proposed by the Conservative party so far include: giving parents the right to choose where their children are educated and patients the right to choose which hospital they are treated in; increasing the amount of police on the streets by 40,000 and immigration controls, which would set a annual limit on the number of people who can settle in Britain.

Labour, whose election campaign slogan is 'Britain's working, don't let the Tories wreck it again', have criticised the first instalment of the Manifesto. Campaign co-ordinator, Alan Milburn, has accused it of "launching Thatcherism in instalments".

The general election is expected to be held in May, but could happen any time before June 2006.

(KMcA/SP)

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