Labour’s ambitious plans to fix major issues in the UK are being criticized as unrealistic.
- Labour wants to clear NHS waiting lists within 5 years
- But they say no new taxes will be needed
- Experts say their promises don’t add up
Can Labour deliver on their big pledges without raising taxes? Let’s take a closer look.
Labour’s NHS Plan Called Not Credible
If elected, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to eliminate the huge NHS backlog of patients waiting for care within 5 years. However, respected commentator Robert Colvile says this promise is not credible at all.
Colvile points out that when Labour reduced waiting times from 1997 to 2011, they had to increase NHS spending massivelyโby 5.7% above inflation annually. Yet Labour insists they won’t need to raise any new taxes.
“It’s essentially impossible to reconcile those two pledges,” says Colvile. How can Labour clear the backlog without a huge cash injection?
Tory Promises Also Questioned
The Conservatives have also made eye-catching promises like keeping the triple lock on pensions and introducing national service. However, Colvile argues that some policies are more about winning over key voter groups than being realistic.
“Twitter is not the world,” he says “Pledges which appeal to the elderly are not just [the Tories’] core vote, but a huge portion of voters overall given the ageing electorate.”
Both parties are accused of making financially dubious claims about cracking down on tax avoidance to fund their plans. But as Colvile notes, “If there were ยฃ6 billion lying around, you’d assume the government would have picked it up.”
The Battle for Credibility
So, with Labour and the Conservatives trading blows over whose manifesto is most unrealistic, who will win the credibility battle? It may come down to which party can convince voters their plans are affordable and properly costed.
“If you’re behind, you probably have to take bigger swings,” says Colvile,” referring to the Conservatives’ flurry of policies as they seek to make up ground. But manifestos are much more likely to hurt than help if there’s something people take against.”
Only time will tell if Labour or the Tories have landed on a set of promises attractive yet believable enough to swing the election their way. Will voters buy what they’re selling?
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