The Liberal Democrats, often abbreviated as the Lib Dems, are generally considered a ‘centrist’ political party in the United Kingdom. Established in 1988 from a merger between the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party, the Lib Dems advocate for social liberalism, individual freedoms, and a .mixed-market’ economy. They are known for their strong support of the European Union, environmental sustainability, and electoral reform. Throughout history, the Lib Dems have positioned themselves as an alternative to the traditionally dominant Conservative and Labour parties, focusing on progressive policies and championing civil liberties. They entered into a coalition agreement with the Conservative Party in 2010 – governing alongside them until 2015. The party has struggled to distance itself from their abandonment of a 2010 pledge to abolish tuition fees – widely regarded to have lost them several parliamentary seats (including Norwich South) and millions of student and graduate votes in the 2015 general election.

2024 General Election Manifesto – Key Points Summary

Health

• The NHS and social care sector is to receive a boost of £8.4 billion.
• There is a pledge to ensure everyone can see a GP within seven days, with urgent cases seen within 24 hours.
• An additional 8,000 GPs are to be recruited to improve healthcare services.
• Cancer treatment guaranteed within 62 days of an urgent referral.
• Access to an NHS dentist provided for emergency care situations.
• Elderly and disabled individuals receive free personal care.
• Better pay packages for care workers, with wages at least £2 above the minimum wage.

Housing

• A plan to construct 380,000 new homes annually.
• This plan includes 150,000 social homes to address systemic housing needs.
• Create ten new garden cities and community-led developments.
• A rent-to-own model for social housing with ownership after 30 years.
• A promise to eradicate rough sleeping within five years (of taking office).

Education

• Funding for schools and colleges to increase annually, above the rate of inflation.
• The free school meals offering extended to an additional 900,000 children living in poverty and eventually to all primary school children.
• Maintenance grants will be reintroduced for disadvantaged students.
• Lifelong skills grants of £5,000 for adult education and training.
• Ofsted inspections will be reformed, ending the practice of single-word judgments.

Climate Change and Environment

• The net-zero emissions target will be moved up from 2050 to 2045.
• A 10-year emergency home upgrade program offering free insulation and heat pumps for low-income households.
• All new homes will be required to be zero-carbon.
• A zero-emission mandate will be implemented for all new cars and small vans by 2030.
• Implement a focused strategy on water pollution, transforming water companies into ‘public benefit entities’.
• Bonuses for water company executives will be banned until leaks and discharges are stopped.
• Ofwat to be replaced with a stricter regulator.

Transport

• Freeze rail fares to make transportation more affordable.
• Half-fares on buses, trams, and trains to be extended to include 18-year-olds.
• A super tax will be imposed on private jet flights.
• Remove VAT exemptions for luxury flights.
• Introduce a ban on short-haul flights if a rail journey of less than 2.5 hours is available.

Crime

• Propose a legal requirement for police to attend all burglaries.
• Establish an online crime agency will be established to tackle personal fraud.
• Banks to be required to compensate scam victims unless the victim is at fault.
• A regulated market for cannabis will be created to protect young people from gangs.
• The time between offence and sentencing will be halved.
• Hire more prison officers to tackle prison overcrowding.

Taxes

• Raise an additional £5 billion will be raised by adjusting the capital gains tax.
• Reverse recent tax cuts for banking corporations.
• The digital services tax on big tech companies to be increased from 2% to 6%.
• A 4% tax will be imposed on share ‘buybacks’ (the reacquisition by a company of its own shares).
• Local councils will be able to raise taxes on second homes by up to 500%.
• A stamp duty surcharge on overseas property buyers.
• Introduce a variety of tax changes and anti-tax avoidance measures, raising £26 billion by 2029.
• A focus on raising the tax-free allowance before cutting personal taxes.

Immigration

• The Rwanda deportation scheme will be scrapped.
• Asylum seekers allowed to work if their decision is delayed for more than three months.
• End the salary threshold for work visas, switching to a merit-based system.
• Negotiate a youth mobility scheme with the EU, allowing under-35s to live and work in Europe for up to three years.

Political Reform

• Proportional representation to be introduced for elections in England.
• Scrap Voter ID requirements.
• Give sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds the right to vote.
• Reform The House of Lords.
• A written constitution for a federal UK.