With less than 3 weeks to go until the 2024 general election, all parties have now published their manifestos – putting forward what they aim to achieve if they form the next government.
Ideas and opinions have been shared, pledges have been made, and new laws have been proposed. Many of which fall within our remit as solicitors – here at St Helens Law.
We’re by no means experts in politics and this certainly isn’t an all-encompassing review or summary of the suggested legislation. Nevertheless, here we take a brief look at some of the key promises made that fall within our areas of legal expertise.
In a push to ‘build an ownership society’, the Conservatives have set an ambitious goal of building 1.6 million homes in England in the next 5 years. Similarly, Labour has pledged to build 300,000 homes a year – equating to a total of 1.5 million new homes in the next 5 years.
Previous targets have, of course, been missed – and these numbers would require a level of building not seen since the 60s. However, both parties appear confident that it’s doable.
The Green Party have also promised a mass building programme. And whilst they haven’t specified exact numbers, Reform UK claim the current damaged housing supply is (at least in part) due to overly bureaucratic planning regulations that delay decisions and add huge costs. As such, they’ve promised to review the planning system to help accelerate house building.
In terms of changes that could benefit first-time buyers?
To help people get onto the property ladder, the Conservatives announced a resurrection of the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme. They also plan to permanently freeze the stamp duty threshold at £425,000 – meaning around 8 in 10 first-time buyers wouldn’t pay stamp duty.
Labour have pledged to work with local authorities to give first-time buyers the chance to buy homes from new developments, before they’re sold off to international investors.
No-fault evictions aren’t very popular across the board.
A policy first proposed by the party in 2019, the Conservatives have committed to eventually banning no-fault evictions. Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have also pledged to ban them. Whilst Labour – taking a no-nonsense approach – has promised an immediate abolishment, in the hope this will prevent renters from being exploited.
To further support private renters, several other changes have been proposed:
- Liberal Democrats have promised to make three-year tenancies the default. They also plan to introduce a new ‘rent to own’ model for social housing, whereby rent payments give tenants an increasing stake in the property – allowing them to own it outright after 30 years.
- The Green Party have promised to campaign to councils to impose rent controls, as well as build 150,000 social homes a year.
- The Conservatives have pledged to introduce a two-year temporary capital gains tax relief for any landlords who choose to sell to their existing tenants.
On the flip side, the Conservatives will also introduce a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ policy, making it easier for social housing landlords to evict tenants guilty of anti-social behaviour.
Health
There’s one thing everyone can agree on – the NHS and dentistry need urgent action. But each party has proposed a slightly different way to tackle long waiting lists and ‘dental deserts’.
For a start, the Conservatives have re-stated their existing policies and targets for the next 5 years, which include increasing the number of doctors and nurses by 120,000.
Their manifesto also mentions the possibility of 40 new hospitals. Plus a new initiative on dentistry, which promises to tie new dentists into working for the NHS for a number of years after they qualify – or face having to pay back their training costs.
Labour has promised to deliver an extra 40,000 operations, scans and appointments a week in England – by introducing more weekend services and turning to the private sector. According to their manifesto, the money for this will come from cracking down on nom-dom arrangements.
Liberal Democrats have vowed to provide 8000 more GPs in England, as well as a ‘62 day guarantee’ – whereby 100% of patients with an urgent cancer referral will begin treatment within 62 days. However, the details on both of these are unclear.
Reform UK states they will endeavour to get to zero NHS waiting lists in 2 years. They claim they can do this by transforming doctor and nurse availability, using independent healthcare capacity and offering tax relief on 20% of all private healthcare and insurance.
Last but not least, the Green Party has promised quicker access to GPs and NHS dentistry, plus a reduction in hospital waiting lists. They’ve also indicated a huge cash injection for the NHS, with talk of increasing the budget by £8 billion – in the first year alone.
Family justice commitments have been made by several major parties.
For example, the Conservatives have pledged to expand the ‘Pathfinder’ pilot. First implemented in 2022, this pioneering scheme has trialled a new approach in family courts, which aims to improve the court experience and outcomes for survivors of domestic abuse, and ensure the voice of the child is the focal point in proceedings.
Initially, it was launched in just Dorset and North Wales, but has now been expanded to Birmingham and South East Wales – and following its success, the party have vowed to continue with its expansion.
They’ve also promised to continue supplying mediation vouchers, to help more families resolve matters without the need for an acrimonious court battle.
Liberal Democrats plan to create a more efficient and supportive justice system, with a particular focus on supporting survivors of domestic abuse. This will be done by increasing funding, setting relevant targets and introducing reforms to ensure courts are properly staffed and can deal with cases much more quickly.
St Helens Law – solicitors with a finger on the pulse
Manifestos may have been published, but votes have yet to be cast – and as solicitors, we’re certainly not qualified to predict the results of this general election.
However, one thing is for sure. Whoever wins on July 4th, as a leading and dedicated law firm, we will be fully informed of any changes (or proposed changes) to the law that arise as a result – particularly in our areas of legal expertise – and will be able to advise on how those changes may affect you.
Whether you’re buying or selling a house, experiencing difficulties with your landlord or tenants, have suffered due to clinical negligence or NHS waiting lists, wish to pursue a family law case (e.g. child custody arrangements), need to resolve an ongoing dispute… Whatever your circumstances, we offer a wide range of legal services. And our pledge is to always provide our clients with straight-talking tailored advice, an exceptional level of customer service and continued support and guidance until the matter is truly resolved.
To request a free initial consultation with a member of the team, simply fill out our online form and we’ll respond to your enquiry as soon as possible. Alternatively, if you have any questions – about how the manifesto pledges may affect you or the services we provide – please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Call us on 01744 742360 or send an email to info@sthelenslaw.co.uk.