Theresa
May must spell out Tory policies after Dominic Raab gaffe

Labour
is calling on Theresa May to end the confusion
over funding for our NHS and schools after a
gaffe by Conservative MP Dominic Raab.

On
the Victoria Derbyshire programme this morning, Dominic Raab suggested money
for the NHS would be found by cutting free school meals for infants.

When
pressed on the issue, he said: “Well, look we’ve said things like means
testing the winter fuel payment. I’m giving an illustration of the difficult
decisions, like saying that we wouldn’t be subsidising free school lunches for
well-off parents, we don’t think that’s the right thing to do. We’d rather the
money went into teaching and the NHS.”

The
suggestion the NHS would benefit is at odds with the Conservative manifesto,
which says: “The savings made from [cutting free school meals] will be added
to the core schools budget, meaning that every penny saved will go towards
children’s education.”

Meanwhile,
the respected Institute for Fiscal Studies has confirmed that there is not a single penny of extra funding for the NHS in the
Conservatives’ manifesto.

The
latest chaos and confusion about Tory policy comes after the unravelling of their proposal for
free school breakfasts, when it was found it
would only amount to 6.8p per meal, and the announcement of an
unspecified cap on social care costs being charged against people’s homes.

Ahead of tonight’s leaders’ debate and interview with Jeremy
Paxman, Labour
is challenging Theresa May to end the
uncertainty by coming clean on what a Conservative government would mean:

 ·         How many pensioners will lose their winter fuel payments?

·         What will the cap be on social care
costs for people with conditions such as
dementia?

·         Will there be
increases in National Insurance contributions and income
tax?

·         Is the Institute
for Fiscal Studies right to say there will be five years
of austerity for the NHS?

·         How will they
fund their school breakfast proposal (replacing
free school meals) now their original 6.8p figure is discredited?

Ian Lavery, Labour’s National Election Coordinator,
said:

“Theresa May has already thrown millions of pensioners into
uncertainty over her dementia tax policy and now
her funding for our NHS and schools is in disarray.
If even her own spokespeople don’t know where the money is coming from or where
it’s going, how on earth do they expect the
British people to know?

“You can’t trust a word Theresa May and the Tories say, the
flip-flopping and backsliding is getting ridiculous. There is a very clear
choice at this election, between a Conservative party that is betraying
pensioners, threatening tax rises for millions of families and promising five
more years of austerity for our NHS and schools, and a Labour party with a
fully costed plan for the many not the few.”

29 May 2017

Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed her first priority in any alliance with Jeremy Corbyn would be consent for a second independence referendum.

Speaking on television earlier, the First Minister again talked-up the possibility of propping up a Labour government in Westminster.

And should she secure such a deal, the prospect of another divisive vote would be the first thing on the table, she confirmed.

It comes as Corbyn admitted he would “open discussions” with the SNP about another referendum.

He said today when asked about a re-run of the 2014 vote: “I’ll obviously open discussions with the government in Scotland and listen very carefully to what the Scottish Parliament says.”

That marries with Nicola Sturgeon’s position on the issue.

After being asked on Sky News if another referendum would be a condition of any arrangement, she said: “If there’s any chance of a progressive alliance that locks the Tories out I’d want to get as much of SNP manifesto implemented as possible.”

It’s the strongest indication yet that the SNP and Labour are working behind the scenes for a post-election deal.

Corbyn’s insiders said last month they wanted to “cut a deal” with the SNP to put him into Number 10.

And for its part, the SNP thinks a Corbyn government could act as a “midwife for independence”.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said:

“Nicola Sturgeon is desperate for a second referendum and will do anything to get it – even putting Jeremy Corbyn into Number 10.

“The Labour leader has already said he’s ‘absolutely fine’ with another referendum – so it looks like a sweetheart deal is in the offing.

“This might suit the two of them but it would be a disaster for Scotland – dragging us back to more division just at the moment when we need to move on, together.

“I will always stand up for the decision we made to stay part of the UK and a vote for the Scottish Conservatives will help me send Nicola Sturgeon a message – no to another referendum.”

Notes to editors:

Nicola Sturgeon appeared live on Sky News earlier today.

Labour sources have already confirmed Jeremy Corbyn wants to do a deal with the SNP after June 8:

http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2017/04/reports-state-labour-will-pursue-election-deal-with-snp/

And the SNP is equally keen on such an arrangement:

http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2017/04/snp-says-it-wants-corbyn-alliance-to-act-as-midwife-for-independence/

Below are words from Jeremy Corbyn today, as reported by PA:

“I’ll obviously open discussions with the Government in Scotland and listen very carefully to what the Scottish Parliament says.”