Brexit
How will each party seek to win over leave and remain voters?
Conservatives
Seek a new “deep and special partnership with the EU”
Leave the single market and customs union
No deal is better than a bad deal for the UK
Control immigration and secure the rights of EU nationals in the UK and Britons in the EU
Maintain a common travel area with a “frictionless” border with Ireland
May is being “upfront and straight” about the difficulties ahead, with a language that will allow her to claim voters endorsed a hard Brexit
Labour
Scrap the Conservatives’ Brexit white paper and replace it with fresh negotiating priorities with a strong emphasis on retaining the single market and customs union
Reject “no deal” as a viable option. Guarantee existing rights for EU nationals living in Britain and UK citizens living in the EU
Labour sits on the fence on Brexit, neither voicing a strong commitment to staying in the single market nor indicating a dedication to deliver Brexit
Liberal Democrats
Hold a second referendum after a deal is reached with Brussels, with an option of staying in the EU
Push for protection of rights for EU citizens living in the UK and UK citizens living abroad, and for membership of the single market and customs union
Pledge to hold a fresh referendum on Brexit is the centrepiece of the Lib Dem manifesto, attracting remainers by being the only main party to offer this
SNP
Scotland to remain in the EU single market after Brexit
Believes a second independence referendum should be held after the Brexit process is complete, with last year’s Holyrood election delivering the democratic mandate for it
SNP maintains line that Brexit should not be imposed on Scotland but previous demands for referendum in 2018/19 have been dropped
Plaid Cymru
Ensure Wales can continue to buy and sell to Europe without costly barriers
Secure money promised to Wales by the Leave campaign
Guarantee the rights of EU nationals living and working in Wales
Insist all future trade deals are endorsed by the Welsh assembly
Plaid Cymru’s ambition remains for “Wales to become an independent nation, standing on its own two feet” and pitches to fight for best possible deal
Ukip
Impose six tests demanding an end to European influence in UK
No ‘divorce’ payment to the EU
Retake seat on the WTO and prioritise new free trade agreements
Ensure no British national can stand in 2019 European parliament election
Re-instate blue passports
In their new role as self-styled Brexit 'guard dogs' Ukip has set out its criteria for the kind of deal they believe British people voted for last year
Green
Stage a second referendum on accepting final Brexit deal or remaining in the EU
Advocate remaining within the single market and ensure UK-resident EU citizens can stay, with a mutual deal sought for British people in the EU
The Greens take an unashamedly pro-Remain stance and dispute the worth of any Brexit, hard or otherwise
Economy
A strong position here will be essential to win over voters who are feeling the squeeze
Conservatives
Continue to restore public finances and have a balanced budget by middle of next decade
Meet OECD average for investments in R&D - 2.4% of GDP within 10 years. Launch a new £23bn national productivity investment fund
Introduce energy tariff cap to extend price protection for vulnerable customers, but maintain competitive element of the retail energy market
Increase national living wage to 60% of median earnings by 2020
The original 2015 deadline of setting public finances straight is now 2025, and the manifesto creates wriggle-room by ditching Osborne’s pledge not to increase NI or income tax
Labour
Eliminate the government’s deficit on day-to-day spending within five years
Mandate a new national investment bank to fill existing gaps in lending by private banks and provide long-term finance to R&D-intensive investments
Balance government spending with the amount it raises in taxes
Bring private rail companies into public ownership. Cap fares
Transition to a publicly owned energy system and reverse Royal Mail privatisation
Many eminent economists support the idea of an investment bank to boost major infrastructure spending and polls show 58-60% of the public back renationalising railways
Liberal Democrats
Boost the economy by committing to a £100bn package of additional infrastructure investment
Eliminate the deficit on day-to-day spending by 2020 to control the national debt and then borrow only to invest
Independent review to consult on how to set a living wage across all sectors
The Lib Dem package, like Labour’s, does mean more borrowing as compared to the Conservatives but it is all spelled out in their costing document
SNP
Balance the budget by the end of next parliament, with net borrowing being used only for investment from 2022 onwards
Return deficit to its pre-crash long-term average
Plan to invest £118bn in UK public services and increase the minimum wage to over £10 per hour by the end of the parliament
The SNP plan to free up additional resources to end austerity and demand a new fiscal plan for the UK
Plaid Cymru
Introduce a £7.5bn investment programme to fund vital infrastructure projects in Wales
Open a publicly owned bank
Fight to ensure £4.3bn in public sector contracts are spent in Wales and introduce a living wage
End business rates system and target tax discounts for new and existing businesses in Wales
The party is fighting back against threat of businesses moving away from Wales as a result of Brexit and aims to create new public sector jobs that pay a living wage
Ukip
Cut VAT and green levies from energy bills to save each household £170 a year
Enforce the minimum and living wage
Cut business rates by 20% for premises worth less than £50,000
Remove VAT from hot takeaways eg fish and chips, and from women's sanitary products
Require employers to advertise jobs to British citizens before offering them overseas
Ukip expects the country will be better off after Brexit but pledges to cut the cost of living now in case those benefits are slow to arrive
Green
Introduce a universal basic income regardless of employment status
Phase in a four-day working week (max 35 hours). Abolish zero-hours contracts
Renationalise railways, buses, utilities and the Royal Mail
Increase the minimum wage to £10 an hour by 2020 and reduce pay gaps
Create a network of local people’s banks
A universal basic income and shorter working week are radical policies that seek to outflank Labour on the left
Health
How will the parties differ in their position on health?
Conservatives
Increase NHS spending by a minimum of £8bn in real terms over the next five years
Make it a priority in Brexit negotiations that the 140,000 staff from EU countries can carry on their contributions to NHS and social care
Build and upgrade primary care facilities, mental health clinics and hospitals
Recover the cost of medical treatment from non-UK residents
Extra funding is significant, but £8bn is still a relatively modest sum compared to Labour’s pledge – and it’s doubtful if it will match demand
Labour
Scrap NHS pay cap and commit to over £30bn in extra funding over the next parliament
One million people to be taken off NHS waiting lists by guaranteeing access to treatment within 18 weeks
Free parking in NHS England for patients, staff and visitors
Increase funding to GP services and ringfence mental health budgets
The pledges are expensive but the NHS has consistently said it needs more money to meet demand and costs, though it’s unlikely that focusing on the top 5% of earners will raise the required funds
Liberal Democrats
1p rise on income tax to raise £6bn per year to be spent only on the NHS and social care services
Mental health waiting time standards to match those in physical health care
Better integration of health and social care and implement a cap on the cost of social care
The health budget is an urgent priority but the Treasury has always been hostile to the principle of hypothecated taxes and it may be a battle to keep the proceeds ringfenced
SNP
Additional NHS spending across the UK and commitment to increasing NHS Scotland budget by £2bn
Additional £1.7bn to be invested in Scotland’s health and social care partnerships over next parliament
Call on new UK government to increase health spending per head of population in England to current Scottish level, which is 7% higher
SNP is committed to an increase in frontline spending and opposed to privatisation, working to return NHS England to its founding principles
Plaid Cymru
Train 1,000 extra doctors and 5,000 more nurses in the next decade and establish a medical school in the north of Wales
“Save 10,000 lives” over 10 years through public health actions and promoting healthier lifestyles
Commit to a social care rescue plan and increase the role of community hospitals
Implement a Plaid Cymru carers contract
Aims to make Wales a global leader in healthcare and give the highest level of service and care to most vulnerable citizens
Ukip
By 2021/22 provide an extra £9bn a year for NHS England and £2bn a year for social care
Lift the cap on medical school training places to 10,000
Limit non-urgent NHS care to British citizens or foreign nationals who have paid UK taxes for five consecutive years
Guarantee the right to remain of EU nationals working in the NHS
Cutting foreign aid to fund NHS spending adds a characteristically purple flavour to this policy area
Green
Undo privatisation of the NHS so that all health and dental services are publicly provided, and free
Close the NHS spending gap and invest in GP services, hospitals, staff pay and social care
Bring mental healthcare in line with physical healthcare. Increase wider mental health awareness
The Greens haven’t costed their proposed NHS investment but would fund it partly by scrapping Trident
Education
From university tuition fees to free school lunches, education is a hot topic
Conservatives
Increase overall schools budget by £4bn by 2022 and redirect £1bn of national funding formula to help schools
Build at least 100 new free schools a year, end ban on selective schools and ask universities and independent schools to help run state schools
No new places in schools rated ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ by Ofsted
Free breakfast to every child in every year of primary school in place of free school lunches for first three years
The return of grammar schools is a key part of May’s new “meritocracy”, and end of free lunches scraps a key Lib Dem achievement
Labour
Create a unified national education service for England that is free at the point of use
Abolish university tuition fees, reintroduce maintenance grants, and restore the education maintenance allowance for 16-18 year olds from lower and middle income backgrounds
Free school meals for all schoolchildren
Labour hopes pledge to scrap tuition fees will attract students and 18- to 24-year-olds who still strongly support the party
Liberal Democrats
Invest nearly £7bn extra in education, increasing school budgets and the pupil premium
Triple early years pupil premium to £1,000 and repeal rule that all new state-funded schools must be free schools or academies, giving local authorities democratic control
Reinstate maintenance grants for poorest university students
Like Labour, the Lib Dems oppose May’s plans for grammar schools. The party doesn’t return to its disastrous pledge to scrap tuition fees, hoping to attract young voters through a second EU referendum and cannabis legalisation
SNP
Expand early years education and childcare to 30 hours a week for all three and four year olds and vulnerable two year olds
Invest and reform school education with new national improvement framework, the Scottish attainment challenge and £120m pupil equity fund
No selective grammar schools in Scotland and continuation of free university education
SNP views education as an investment in both society and economy
Plaid Cymru
Set up a network of vocational colleges for those aged 14 and over
Pay teachers a more competitive salary and improve teachers’ training
Guarantee employment, education or training for any person under 25 looking for work. Provide an incentive for students who remain or return to live and work in Wales
Provide free full-time nursery places for all three year olds
Plaid Cymru wants to give every child the chance to succeed and work to “retain brightest young people” in Wales to boost economy
Ukip
Abolish Sats for seven year olds
Open a grammar school in every town and allow pupils to transfer in up to the age of 16
Abolish tuition fees for science, technology, engineering and maths undergraduates and aim to abolish all tuition fees. Restore maintenance grants
End sex education in primary schools
Ukip straddles the traditional policy spectrum: tuition fees are out, grants are in – but so are grammar schools
Green
Scrap university tuition fees, student debt and Sats
Reinstate full student grants and the education maintenance allowance
Bring academies and free schools into the local authority system
Increase real term spending per pupil and provide free universal childcare
Expand apprenticeships and introduce non-biased political education
Party leader Lucas set out to woo young voters with this manifesto, and there is plenty here to do just that
Immigration
A key issue in the EU referendum, how will immigration policies play out in the election?
Conservatives
Reduce immigration to “sustainable” levels, meaning annual net migration in the tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands
Increase earnings threshold for those wishing to sponsor migrants for family visas
Overseas students will remain in the immigration statistics
Offer asylum and refuge to people in parts of the world affected by conflict and oppression, but work hard to reduce asylum claims in the UK
Continuation of the net migration pledge for a further five years despite never being met in the past seven years is a divisive manifesto vow for May’s cabinet
Labour
Prioritise growth, jobs and prosperity over “bogus immigration targets” and honour the spirit of international law and moral obligations by taking in a fair share of refugees
Will not include students in immigration numbers but will crack down on fake colleges
While rejecting “bogus immigration targets” for the first time, a new immigration system “may include employer sponsorship, work permits, visa regulations or a tailored mix of all these”
Liberal Democrats
Make positive case for immigration and make all hate crimes an aggravated offence
Push for freedom of movement in Brexit negotiations
Expand the Syrian vulnerable persons resettlement scheme to offer sanctuary to 50,000 people
Reopen Dubs scheme to take 3,000 unaccompanied minors from Europe
Lib Dems want to challenge concerns about immigration by making a positive case for immigrants and asylum seekers and implementing a fairer and more efficient system
SNP
Scottish parliament to have control over immigration
Press UK government to immediately protect rights of NHS staff from Europe to live and work in the UK
Continue to make the case for reintroduction of a post-study work visa scheme for Scotland and press for skills immigration charge for employers to be scrapped
The SNP’s vision of Scotland is one of an open country that looks outwards and encourages “best and brightest” to make Scotland their home
Plaid Cymru
Create a Welsh migration advisory service and issue Welsh-specific visas
International students to be taken out of net migration targets
Fight for Dubs amendment to help unaccompanied refugee children into the UK to be upheld
PC wants a migration system that suits Wales’ needs and plugs skills gaps
Ukip
Target zero net migration over five years
Moratorium on unskilled and low-skilled immigration for five years after Brexit
Introduce Australian-style points-based system
Test the social attitudes of migration applicants
Allow law-abiding EU citizens living in the UK before article 50 was triggered to stay; later arrivals will not have an automatic right to remain
The referendum gave Ukip its heart's desire and an identity crisis. Hardline immigration policies and a preoccupation with integration look like an attempt to deal with the latter
Green
Protect EU freedom of movement
A humane immigration and asylum system that recognises and takes responsibility for Britain’s ongoing role in causing the flow of migrants worldwide
The Greens have described freedom of movement as a “gift” and believe it’s a beneficial two-way street. A general pledge of humanity is an antidote to the toxic rhetoric of election campaigns, but the manifesto is short on detail
Tax and spending
Who will put taxes up, and will you be affected?
Conservatives
Increase personal allowance to £12,500 and the higher rate to £50,000 by 2020, ensure local residents can veto high council tax increases via a referendum. No VAT increase
Stick to plan to cut corporation tax to 17% by 2020
Maintain pensions triple lock until 2020 and introduce a new double lock afterwards. Means test winter fuel payments
May has scrapped Cameron’s triple lock, antagonising a key source of Tory support (older voters) and indicating a confidence in victory at the polls
Labour
No rises in income tax for those earning below £80,000 a year, no increases in personal national insurance contributions or rate of VAT, and guarantee the state pension triple lock
Ask large corporations to "pay a little more" in tax while still keeping UK corporation tax among the lowest of major developed economies
The IFS said lowering the threshold for the 45p rate could raise £7bn, but critics say the measure could spark mass avoidance and drive top earners offshore
Liberal Democrats
1p rise in income tax in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, ringfenced for spending on the NHS and social care services
Reverse cuts to corporation tax, capital gains tax and marriage allowance
Maintain the triple lock of increasing the state pension each year by the highest of earnings growth, price growth or 2.5%
Party has revived its popular 1997 promise to put 1p in the pound on income tax to boost spending on key public services, and mirrors Labour’s proposals on corporate taxes but without specifically hitting high earners
SNP
No increase on taxation in NI or VAT
Back the top rate of income tax going up to 50p across the UK
Abandon 1% cap on public sector pay increases
Lift the freeze on benefits and abolish the two-child cap and the Rape Clause
Protect the triple lock on pensions, protect the winter fuel allowance and support fair pensions for womenSupport repeal of Trade Union Act 2016 and ban zero-hour contracts
Tackling austerity and securing investment in public services is a priority for the SNP
Plaid Cymru
Ensure a living pension for all and fight to guarantee the triple lock
Oppose increases in the state pension retirement age
Commit to scrapping the bedroom tax and continue to fight the Rape Clause
Demand that Wales has the power to set its own rates of tax including corporation tax and VAT
The party pledges to “lift Wales out of poverty” while protecting older people
Ukip
Raise the threshold for paying any income tax to £13,500
Cut income tax for some middle earners by raising the 40% threshold to £55,000
No quarterly tax returns and no increase in Class IV NI or taxes for self-employed
Maintain the triple lock on pensions
Ukip burnishes its everyman credentials with tax cuts for low and middle earners, plus support for small businesses
Green
Introduce wealth tax on top 1% of earners and a Robin Hood tax on high value transactions in the finance sector
Reinstate higher level of corporation tax for large businesses
Phase out cap on employees’ national insurance so the wealthiest pay more
In another challenge to Labour, the Greens have rich individuals and businesses funding a higher proportion of public spending
Housing
How will parties react to the housing crisis?
Conservatives
Meet 2015 commitment to deliver 1m homes by the end of 2020 and deliver 500,000 more by the end of 2022
Deliver reforms proposed in the housing white paper to free up more land
Build new fixed-term social houses which will be sold privately after 10-15 years with automatic right to buy for tenants
The pledge to build more homes is made despite slow progress towards the previous aim and little detail about how it will be achieved
Labour
Build over 1m new homes, and 100,000 council and housing association homes a year
Help-to-buy funding until 2027 for first-time buyers. Controls on rent rises for private renters
Suspend the right to buy until councils can prove they have a plan to replace homes
Scrap the bedroom tax and reverse decision to abolish housing benefit for 18-21 year olds
The pledge to build 1m new homes a year is ambitious and tackles head-on Labour’s concerns that housebuilding has fallen under the Tories
Liberal Democrats
Increase housebuilding to 300,000 a year, with 30,000 rent-to-own homes a year by 2020
Set in motion at least 10 new garden cities
Ban landlords from letting out poorly insulated homes
Manifesto promises a number of housing reforms to help first-time buyers, including rent to buy, which will help those looking to get on the housing ladder
SNP
Over current term of Scottish parliament SNP is investing over £3bn to deliver at least 50,000 new affordable homes, at least 35,000 of which will be for social rent
Continue to build new homes and refurbish existing properties through the £25m rural housing fund
Support restoration of housing support for 18-21 year olds
Scotland has the highest house building rate in the UK, but there isn’t much information in manifesto about future gains
Plaid Cymru
Build 10,000 new affordable homes funded by new multi-million pound investment programme
There is little in the manifesto about housing, a policy area in the province of the Welsh government and Welsh assembly, where a bill to abolish the right-to-buy scheme is currently underway
Ukip
Roll out factory-built modular homes, affordable on the national average wage of £26,000
Homes will be sold on freehold basis to first-time buyers up to the age of 40 who are British citizens and who have a 10% deposit
Allow local authorities in seaside towns to buy up and renovate poor housing stock or empty commercial properties
FBM homes appeared in a February white paper on housing but not the Tory manifesto. Ukip claims a hitherto niche idea can solve the housing crisis
Green
Build 100,000 social rented homes each year by 2022
Introduce mandatory licensing for all landlords, abolish letting fees and encourage renters’ unions
End mass council house sales and scrap right to buy at discounted prices
Abolish the bedroom tax and reinstate under 21s’ housing benefit
The Greens want to help those struggling in the current market by building more homes to buy and rent, but also by clipping the wings of landlords
Environment
From air pollution to climate change, how will the parties tackle green issues?
Conservatives
Meet 2050 carbon reduction objective and take action against poor air quality
Develop the shale industry, legislate to change planning law for fracking applications, and set up a shale environmental regulator, with more tax revenues going to communities that host extraction sites
There is only a brief mention of air pollution and the Conservatives are the only main party to support fracking, controversial among environmentalists
Labour
Ensure UK meets its climate change targets and transitions to a low-carbon economy
Ban fracking, stay committed to renewable energy projects, support further nuclear projects, and introduce a new Clean Air Act to deal with illegal air quality
Environmentalists welcome Labour’s vision for a sustainable energy system that bans fracking and shows commitment to the Clean Air Act
Liberal Democrats
Ensure UK meets its climate commitments and pass five green laws covering transport, carbon emissions, nature, green buildings and waste
Oppose fracking, ensure 4m properties receive insulation retrofits by 2022, and prevent 40,000 deaths a year with an air quality plan
Party maintains green credentials by devoting more space in manifesto than Labour, with pledges that include opposition to Heathrow expansion and a diesel scrappage scheme
SNP
Ensure Scotland continues to meet targets for climate change
Press UK government to include offshore wind in its industrial strategy
Work to ensure UK government takes action on the taxation of late life oil and gas assets
Oppose Hinkley Point C
Press the UK government to put in place an energy price cap
SNP strives to fight climate change while keeping energy bills down
Plaid Cymru
Increase energy generation from renewables including delivering tidal lagoons
Transfer responsibility over Welsh energy generation and natural resources to the national assembly. Create a Welsh energy company
Roll out a nationwide scheme to make housing stock more energy efficient
Introduce a new climate change act. Adopt greenhouse gas and pollution targets for 2030 and 2050
PC believes Wales should manage its own resources and it pledges to build a cleaner environment
Ukip
Repeal the 2008 Climate Change Act and support energy market based on fossil fuels, nuclear and some renewables
Back fracking but no drilling in national parks or AONBs
Remove taxpayer-funded subsidies from unprofitable wind and solar schemes
Prevent diesel drivers from being penalised
Ukip's manifesto is sceptical of renewable energy and omits any mention of pollution
Green
Introduce an Environmental Protection Act and a new Clean Air Act
Replace fracking, coal power stations, subsidies to fossil fuels and nuclear with renewable energy
Aiming to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees
Target zero plastic waste with help of deposit return schemes
This is where the Greens’ founding principles lie, but they aren’t always seen as a single-issue party now – and Labour and the Lib Dems have matched them on issues like fracking
Foreign and defence
How will each party set out Britain’s place on the world stage?
Conservatives
Continue to help maintain the UN and Nato
Meet Nato target of at least 2% of GDP on defence and increase budget by at least 0.5% above inflation in every year of the new parliament
Retain Trident, invest £178bn in new military equipment for the armed forces over the next decade, and complete the Astute class of hunter-killer submarines
May commits to playing a leading role in Nato and maintaining ability for future interventions, placing emphasis on “special relationship” with the US
Labour
Put conflict resolution and human rights at the heart of foreign policy
Back effective action to alleviate the refugee crisis
Commit to spending at least 2% of GDP on defence
Support the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent
The manifesto does not promise to scrap Britain’s nuclear deterrent but Corbyn’s refusal to guarantee he would press the nuclear button reduces its value
Liberal Democrats
Support the UN and Nato, focusing on conflict prevention and only resorting to military intervention as a last resort
Control arms exports to countries listed as human rights priority countries. Suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia
Commit to spending 2% of GDP on defence and maintain a minimum nuclear deterrent
Manifesto makes a point of the UK being able to defend itself, support allies and engage in humanitarian intervention, while leading in international nuclear disarmament efforts
SNP
Build a cross-party coalition to scrap Trident
Press for investment in conventional defence including promise to build new Type-26 Frigates in Scotland
Immediate ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia pending investigation of conflict in Yemen
Press UK government to take action to bring about a political resolution to end the conflict in Syria
SNP supports diplomatic resolutions and scrapping of Trident would ensure more money for public services
Plaid Cymru
Scrap Trident and resist attempts to relocate it to Wales, instead investing in home-based troops and strengthening conventional forces
Oppose military action without UN and parliamentary authority
PC predicts “unnecessary, undemocratic and ill-considered military action is likely” as a result of relationship with Donald Trump and pledges to ensure Wales is part of a greater global community
Ukip
Spend "a genuine" 2% of GDP on defence, and scale up defence spending by an additional £1bn per year by the end of the parliament
Close the DfID and reduce the foreign aid budget with savings spent on the NHS
Retain Trident
Issue a veterans’ service card to ensure fast-track access to NHS
Ukip argues that free trade agreements with developing countries would eliminate the need for foreign aid
Green
Scrap Trident replacement, saving £110bn over 30 years
Increase the overseas aid budget from 0.7% of GDP to 1.0% of GDP
Pursue an ethical foreign policy that builds capacity for conflict resolution
End arms sales to oppressive regimes
The Green manifesto has no time for military matters. There is no mention of the defence budget and they plan to make a major saving on Trident
Find out more about the parties’ election pledges by reading their manifestos in full. Download the Conservative, Green party, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru, SNP and Ukip manifestos from the party websites.
This guide provides a summary of key points from the 2017 general election manifestos of UK mainland parties with seats in Westminster prior to the dissolution of parliament.
