WIREDGOV

Blog posted by: Charlotte Pickles, 29 November 2019.

Reform was delighted to host our high-level panel event on 'How to win a General Election: what do voters really care about?' last week.

Our panel included:

• Professor Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde
• Ben Page, Chief Executive, Ipsos MORI
• Pippa Crerar, Political Editor, Daily Mirror
• Madeline Grant, Assistant Comment Editor, The Daily Telegraph

You can now watch the full discussion below👇

New Policy Pledges:

🌲 Two Billion New Trees

Labour has pledged to plant two billion trees by 2040, exceeding the rate and number of plantings needed to meet the 2050 carbon neutrality target. This is equivalent to planting three trees a second, 24/7. International examples, including India and Pakistan, suggest this target could be achieved. 10 per cent of England is currently tree covered, compared to an estimated 35 per cent of the European union.

📚 Strengthening Ofsted

The Conservatives have pledged an extra £10 million to strengthen Ofsted and give it new powers such as longer and “no-notice” inspections. This has drawn a clear dividing line between the three main parties’ stance on England’s education inspector, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats pledging to scrap and replace Ofsted.

👩 Waspi Compensation

Labour has pledged to compensate WASPI women ­­– women born in the 1950s affected by the change in the state pension age from 60 to 65. At a cost of £58 billion, this is almost 27 times the total amount spent on benefits directed at children. This costly announcement adds to Labour’s already unsustainable pension pledges, such as maintaining the triple lock.

Reform's View on The Manifesto Social Care Pledges:

Claudia Martinez, Research Manager and Health lead at Reform, wrote an op-ed for City AM, arguing that no party manifesto has put forward a credible fix for social care.

You can read the article here.