The main parties have now launched their manifestos ahead of the General Election on 7th May. We bring you the main points from each one relating to a key part of our own manifesto - rural services. Read our own manifesto chapter on rural services here.
Conservative
- Invest £13 billion in road improvements and extensions
- Electrify the main rail routes and continue support for HS2
- Secure the future of 3,000 rural post offices
- End new subsidies for onshore windfarms and change the law so that local people have the final say on windfarm applications
Green
- Increase the local government budget by £10 billion to allow councils to restore essential local services
- Re-nationalise the railways and scrap the Government's support for HS2
- Significant investment in bus transport in rural areas
- Introduction of 20mph and 40mph speed limits on rural roads
Labour
- Safeguard the public interest in Royal Mail by keeping the remaining 30% in public ownership
- Support the Universal Service Obligation ensuring competition does not undermine it and introduce protections as necessary
- Abolish Police and Crime Commissioners and introduce a new statutory local Policing Commitment
- Continue support for HS2
Lib Dem
- Electrify the main rail routes, reopen smaller stations and continue support for HS2
- Support the Universal Service Obligation and no further post office closures in the next Parliament
- Introduce 'retained' police officers available to respond when needed to increase police presence in rural communities
- Continue the fuel discount scheme for remote areas and extend it to additional remote areas with high fuel costs
- Develop the Community Budgets model for use in rural areas to combine services, helping to keep rural services like GP surgeries, pharmacies, post offices and libraries open
- Encourage onshore wind in appropriate locations
UKIP
- Scrap the Government's support for HS2
- Reduce the number of Police and Crime Commissioners
- Amend the smoking ban to give pubs the choice to open smoking rooms
- Scrap all subsidies for wind and solar power
- Abolish the Barnett Formula for Scotland funding