If you thought Theresa May’s government was Ukip-lite in rhetoric, just take a look at its policies. The Prime Minister is essentially delivering the top lines of the Ukip 2015 manifesto.
A source involved in writing Ukip’s general election manifesto admits to me that the Prime Minister has “very much shot the Ukip fox” – citing grammar schools, and her “direct approach to the markets and controlling immigration.”
Can that be true? And, if so, does it explain why Ukip foundered in Stoke? When visiting the constituency ahead of the by-election, it was clear that rerunning the EU referendum was central to the party’s campaign – and it didn’t work. Ukip appears to be losing traction with voters because the Conservative government is already delivering its key policies. Why vote for a party pledging policies that are already being implemented?
I looked back at Ukip’s 2015 manifesto to find out how much the Tories have borrowed:
The EU
What Ukip pledged:
“Leave the EU.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
She is taking Britain out of the EU.
Immigration
What Ukip pledged:
“Take back control of our borders.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
Immigration control is a “red line” for the Prime Minister, who, by taking the UK out of the single market, is clearly prepared to take the financial hit in order to bring down the number of migrants.
What Ukip pledged:
“End welfare tourism with a five-year embargo on benefits for migrants.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
The Prime Minister is using Brexit to pursue the idea, first mooted by David Cameron, of stopping newly arrived migrants from the EU claiming tax credits and other in-work benefits. This would bring them into line with the welfare rights of non-EU migrants.
What Ukip pledged:
“Introduce a new visa system for workers, visitors, students, families and asylum seekers.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
In October last year, May ordered a cabinet taskforce to draw up plans for a new “targeted visa system”, tasking ministers with coming up with a scheme to cut migration numbers but ensure the UK isn’t left with a shortage of workers.
NHS
What Ukip pledged:
“End ‘health tourism’ by making sure those ineligible for free NHS care pay for treatment.”
What Theresa May is doing:
Jeremy Hunt’s new law forces hospitals to deny non-emergency treatment to any “foreign patient” who cannot produce identity documents proving their right to free care. Such patients who are not eligible for free, non-emergency treatment will be charged upfront – NHS staff will be issued with credit card readers to take payments before beginning treatment.
Education
What Ukip pledged:
“Bring back grammar schools.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
She’s bringing back grammar schools. In his Budget, the Chancellor Philip Hammond is setting aside £320m for expanding the government’s free school programme, which can now include selective education.
Energy
What Ukip pledged:
“End subsidies for wind farms.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
Because of lack of government funding, investment in renewables looks to fall 95 per cent over the next three years.
It wasn’t May’s policy, but she is carrying on with the decision to end onshore wind subsidies, and also slashing subsidies for other renewable energy sources. She even nearly pulled the plug on the Hinkley C nuclear power project.
What Ukip pledged:
“Support ‘fracking’ for shale gas.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
Theresa May was already a fracking fan before she became PM, having voted against an 18-month fracking ban and additional regulation. Indeed, she has changed fracking policy to include a new fund that could deliver as much as £10m to each community where wells are sited. A policy leading to accusations that she’s trying to “bribe and silence” the public into accepting fracking.
Economy
What Ukip pledged:
“Allow British businesses to choose to employ British workers first.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
The Home Secretary Amber Rudd tried to bring in a law by which businesses would have to publish lists of their foreign-born workers, but it was met with such hostility from employers that the government u-turned on the idea.
What Ukip pledged:
“Raise the personal tax allowance to at least £13,000, taking those on minimum wage out of tax altogether.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
This one dates back to the Lib Dems in coalition, but the Prime Minister is continuing it with gusto – Hammond increased the tax-free income threshold in the Autumn Statement last year; the personal allowance will rise £500 to £11,500 for the 2017-18 tax year.
Foreign affairs
What Ukip pledged:
“Foster closer ties with the Anglosphere.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
The Prime Minister’s lack of criticism of Donald Trump, particularly the Muslim travel ban, caused dismay among many who believe she is appeasing the authoritarian and racist policies of the new US President.
Justice
What Ukip pledged:
“Insist on there being one law for all – British law.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
She has vowed to take the UK out of the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.
Welfare
What Ukip pledged:
“Limit child benefit to two children for new claimants.”
What Theresa May’s doing:
OK, again, not her policy, but she’s carrying on with it – child tax credits and the child benefit through universal credit is now capped at two children for any new claimant after 6 April 2017.
***
There are plenty more proposals in that manifesto that have not yet found a home in government. Policies Theresa May could yet nick include:
Abolishing inheritance tax.
An Australian-style points-based system for immigration.
All migrants and foreign visitors to have their own health insurance.
Stopping child benefit being paid to children who don’t live here permanently.
Ending sex education in primary schools.
Restrict the Right-to-Buy and Help-to-Buy schemes to British nationals.
Repealing the 2008 Climate Change Act.
Scrapping our opt-in to the European Arrest Warrant.
Give a national referendum on the issue of greatest importance to the British public every two years on the most popular petition with over two million signatures.
Ending the use of multilingual formatting on official documents.
Pulling funding from public bodies promoting multiculturalism.
It seems both the country and Ukip would benefit from May finding a different source for her policy-making.
Content from our partners
Related
