Now we have a majority Conservative government, it's worth looking at what they promised in their manifesto!
The Conservatives have made it clear that their priority is to get Brexit done. They have stated their intention to start putting their deal through Parliament straight away, and have committed to leaving the EU in January. They will end the role of the European Court of Justice and have committed to legislating to ensure high standards of workers' rights.
The Conservatives have declared that, post-Brexit, they will introduce an Australian-style points-based immigration system with the aim of attracting high-skilled workers, and fewer lower-skilled migrants. They will also create bespoke visa schemes; an NHS visa, a student visa to attract talented young people, and a start up visa to attract entrepreneurs.
The Conservatives promise that they will always prioritise the principle of fairness in the workplace. They state that they will encourage flexible working and consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to. They will legislate to allow parents to take extended leave for neonatal care, and look at ways to make it easier for fathers to take paternity leave. The Conservatives also promise to extend the entitlement to leave for unpaid carers to a week.
The Conservatives state that no matter where in the world people come from, their rights will be respected and they will be treated with fairness and dignity. They pledge that they will tackle prejudice, racism and discrimination and address the complex reasons why some groups do less well at school, earn less at work, or are more likely to be victims of crime. They have committed to reducing the disability employment gap, and publishing a National Strategy for Disabled People before the end of 2020 which will look at ways of improving the benefits system, opportunities and access for disabled people in terms of housing, education, transport and jobs.
The Conservatives have promised to set up a new £3 billion National Skills Fund which will provide funding for high-quality education and training and will help those who have not got onto the work ladder and lack qualifications, as well as people who are keen to return to work or wish to switch career. The overall design of the Fund and the way in which it will work will be consulted on. They will also provide help for employers to invest in skills and consider how the working of the Apprenticeship Levy can be improved. The Conservatives have pledged to create two million new high-quality jobs in clean growth, as well as reducing National Insurance contributions for employers if they employ ex-service personnel, as well as a guaranteed job interview for veterans for any public sector role they apply for.
The Conservatives have promised to freeze the rates of income tax, National Insurance and VAT. They will increase the National Insurance threshold to £9,500 in 2020, with the overall goal of ensuring that the first £12,500 of a person's earnings are completely free of tax. They have also promised to improve incentives to attack the problem of excessive executive pay and rewards for failure, and to ensure redundancy payments can be clawed back when high-paid public servants move between jobs.
The Conservatives also plan to launch a review to explore how the self-employed can be better supported. This will include improving their access to finance and credit, making the tax system easier to navigate, and examining how broadband can boost home-working.
They pledge to create a single enforcement body (this was something included in the government's Good Work Plan and has already been the subject of a government consultation), and to crack down on any employer abusing employment law. They have also stated that they will give workers the right to request a more predictable contract and other reasonable protections (this is another thing from the Good Work Plan and the government has already committed to introducing a right for all workers to request a more predictable and stable contract after 26 weeks' service).
