The General Election is destined to be one of the closest in a generation. The student vote has the potential to determine the outcome of a number of seats across the countries. Commentators believe whoever wins the next election will have to make massive savings in order to reduce the national debt.
What are the three main parties key priorities if elected?
Conservatives
Begin spending cuts in 2010 to eliminate most of the UK’s structural deficit within five years; real terms increases in health spending; allow charities, trusts, voluntary groups and co-operatives to set up new Academy schools, independent of local authority control, and to run other public services; scrap identity card scheme; "recognise" marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system.
Labour
Wait until 2011 to cut spending, to halve deficit in four years; increase spending on "frontline" NHS services and schools but freeze or cut spending in other areas from 2011; ensure all people who suspect they have cancer get test results within one week; hold a referendum on adopting the Alternative Vote system for Westminster elections by October 2011.
Liberal Democrats
Identify and cut £15bn of "lower priority" spending to protect front-line services while eliminating structural deficit within five years; raise the threshold at which people start paying income tax from £6,475 to £10,000; ‘mansion tax’ on the value of properties over £2m; scrap identity card scheme; replace the Council Tax with a Local Income Tax; introduce a written constitution and single transferable vote (STV) system for all UK elections.
Those of the parties main priorities, but where do the parties stand on other issues?
Higher education
Further education
Economy
Health
Crime
Environment
Housing
Transport
Civil liberties
Constitutional reform
Equalities
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