Greens promise four-day working week

22 May 17

The Green Party has launched its general election 2017 manifesto promising a four-day working week.

It also pledges a universal basic income, second EU referendum and scrapping the Trident submarine programme.

The Greens claim getting rid of the nuclear submarines would save taxpayers £110bn over the next thirty years.

Speaking in London today, co-leader Jonathan Bartley, said contains “big, bold ideas” which “with the right political will, are possible”.

Bartley rejected the notion the general election was a two-horse race and he urged voters to cast their ballot for what they believed in.

“We can have a different future - one where we all have the security and choices we deserve, and for a basic income that allows us to fulfil our potential and yes, our dreams,” he said.

The party also pledged to renationalise key industries, increase the aid budget and extend protections for the environment.

The Green Manifesto, a Green Guarantee, includes the following pledges:

 

NHS and social care:

Roll back privatisation of the NHS

Scrap NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans

Close the NHS spending gap and provide an immediate cash injection

A single budget covering health and social services

Local government:

Increase funding for local authorities

Education:

Increase funding for schools to protect real term spending per pupil

Bring Academies and Free Schools into the local authority system, abolish SATS and reduce class sizes

Scrap university tuition fees

Restore Education Maintenance Allowance and enable apprenticeships to all qualified young people aged 16-25

Free universal early education and childcare for all children, with formal education starting at age 7

Abolish Ofsted

Economy:

Phase in four-day working week

Introduce universal basic income following government pilot scheme

Require a minimum 40% of all members of public company and public sector boards to be women

Bring in living wage of £10 an hour by 2020-

Use the government-owned Royal Bank of Scotland to create a network of local people’s banks, obliged to lend locally and provide cheap basic banking services

Tax the 1% of highest earners

Bring energy, water, railways, buses, the Royal Mail and care work back into public ownership

Environment:

Replacing fracking, coal power stations, subsidies to fossil fuels and nuclear with the clean green efficient renewable

Pass Environmental Protection Act to safeguard and restore our environment, protect and enhance biodiversity, promote sustainable food and farming, and ensure animal protection

EU:

Offer second referendum to ratify Brexit deal with option to reject it and remain in the union

Protect freedom of movement, press for remaining within the single market

Housing:

Create a living rent for all through rent controls and more secure tenancies for private renters, an end to letting fees and the introduction of mandatory licensing for all landlords

Invest in a major programme to build affordable, zero carbon homes, including 100,000 social rented homes each year by 2022

Scrap Right to Buy

Transport:

Ban all airport runway extensions and end subsidies on airline fuel

Offer free local public transport for young people, students, people with disabilities, and older people

Other commitments:

Reinstate housing benefit for under-21s

Lower voting age to 16 and bring in proportional representation for parliamentary and local elections

Increase the overseas aid budget from 0.7% of GDP to 1.0% of GDP

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