Nigel Faragehas called for immigration into the UK to be restricted to 50, 000 people a year.
Farage, who is launching his Brexit party’s election “contract” later today, said there should be an Australian-style points based system limiting the numbers allowed to settle in the country.
“We had a 60 – year post-war norm of about 30, 000 to 50, 000 people coming into the United Kingdom. That has completely gone out of the window, ”he told Today.
“What I think is very real is that we now have in many ways a population crisis in this country. Nobody could possibly have foreseen the massive growth in our population. ”
Farage said labor shortages in specific sectors such as the NHS could be addressed by issuing temporary work permits.
McDonnell suggested thatLaborwould allow a return to secondary picketing.
Under Labor manifesto the party committed to removing “unnecessary restrictions on industrial action”. Asked on the Today program whether that meant restoring secondary picketing, McDonnell said: “We will make sure that people have the right, as in the ILO [International Labour Organisation] conventions to withdraw their labor. Yes … I believe any workers should have the right to withdraw their labor. ”
But asked again whether that meant a return to secondary picketing, he said: “No, we’re not. We’re creating a new climate in this country, which is based upon a stakeholder economy where we all recognize we’ve got a stake in this economy. ”
He added: “The idea is that we’re democratising the economy and providing people with a greater range of basic rights.”
On Today McDonnell again challenged the IFS’s claim that Labor could not assert that only the rich would pay for its spending plans.
Using the same phraseology he used on Sky, McDonnell said:
I have a greater respect for the IFS. I just think they’ve got it wrong on this one.
Yes, the top 5% will pay a bit more. The 95% of earners will not pay an increase in income tax rates or in VAT, or in national insurance, but we are we’re being straight with people. We are reversing some of the corporation tax cuts that have been given away by the Conservatives andLiberal Democratsover the last 10 Years.
He added:
It is not inevitable that when you increase [corporation] it lowers wages or increases prices.
The IFS needs to look at the structural changes in the economy we’re making … because we’re democratising the way in which these corporations work and are more accountable, they will actually invest in their companies, instead of being driven by short-term profiteering and shareholder interest only.
They will think for the long term, invest and grow the economy and that’s what’s happening across Europe … they have longer term decision-making.
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The shadow chancellor,John McDonnell, has been defending theLabormanifesto in a round of broadcast interviews.
Asked on Sky News about a claim by the Institute for Fiscal Studies thinktank that Labor would impose the highest tax burden since the second world war, McDonnell said: “It is high. I don’t hesitate from that because we’ve had 10 years of austerity under theConservativesand Lib Dems, [and] our public services are in a terrible state. ”
He added:
We’ve got to be honest. It does mean raising taxes, but we protect those people who can least afford it. Income tax will go up. It’ll be the top 5% of earners, the highest earners will pay a bit more.
I’m reversing some of the corporation tax cuts that the Tories have given away. Corporations were given tax cuts and they haven’t invested that money.
And I am introducing a financial transaction tax so that the City pays a bit more.
McDonnell also challenged the IFS’s claim that ordinary people would have to pay for Labor spending plans in the long term. He said: “I have a lot of respect for the IFS. On this one, though, I don’t think they’ve got it right. And so do most other economists as well. ”
McDonnell was vague on how Labor would tackle student debt. Asked if he would write it off, he said: “I’m going to look at a whole range of options… because the system is collapsing.”
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The leader of Plaid Cymru,Adam Price, has saidLabormust back an investment program for Wales if it is to secure his party’s support in the event of a hung parliament, PA reports.
The party is launching its manifesto on Friday with a call for the Westminster government to allocate an additional 1% of GDP to invest in “green infrastructure” over the next decade, allowing Wales to spend an additional £ 15 bn on green jobs, transport and energy.
Price saidJeremy Corbynwould have to adopt the program if Plaid Cymru – which had four MPs in the last parliament – were to help him enter No 10.
“It has to be this investment program. That has to be the key. Fair funding for Wales, ”he told the BBC Radio 4 Today program.
“We want to make those investments in Wales. We don’t want them done by, as Labor is suggesting, creating state-owned monopolies based outside of Wales. This is not much better than privately owned monopolies based outside of Wales. ”
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Rishi Sunak, the chief secretary to the Treasury, has confirmed Conservative party plans to increase stamp duty for foreign buyers. Under the plan, those outside the UK will pay 3% more in the home purchase tax, he told BBC Breakfast.
Sunak said:
Today, if you are foreign company or someone living overseas, it is as easy to buy a property as it is for someone who is actually living here. We don’t think that is right so we are saying we will have a 3% stamp duty surcharge on those foreign transactions. That should make housing more affordable especially for first-time buyers.
Sunak could not confirm when the Conservative manifesto would be published. It is expected on Sunday, but Sunak said only that it would be published “soon”.
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As I mentioned earlier, Plaid Cymru will be launching its policies today with a promise for a £ 20 bn “green jobs revolution”. It will also be calling for another referendum on Brexit.
As one of the pro-remain MPs, Plaid has struck a deal with the Lib Dems and the Greens, in which they will stand aside for each other. It means the party will get a clear run in seven seats. Under the deal, the Lib Dems will have clear air in three seats in Wales and the Greens in one.
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This foray into political ads from the Sun is getting a fair amount of traction on Twitter this morning.
Nigel Farage is hoping to enlist the help of Donald Trump in a global campaign to plant billions of trees to capture CO (2) . TheBrexit party leader, a friend of the US president, is due to make the announcement in Westminster on Friday as his party launches its version of an election manifesto.
You can re-watch Farage’s interview with Donald Trump below.
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What else is happening today?
It’s going to be a busy Friday for all the party leaders:
- The PM will campaign in Nottinghamshire, Corbyn will be in the Midlands.
- Jo Swinson will campaign in Glasgow after announcing yesterday that a Lib Dem government would commit to building 300, 000 new homes a year.
- Scottish Labor, Plaid Cymru and the Brexit party are all scheduled to launch their policies today.
- A BBC Question Time special with the four major party leaders will air at 7pm. The one-off episode will be filmed in Sheffield, in which Johnson, Corbyn, Jo Swinson and Nicola Sturgeon each have half-an-hour to debate with a live studio audience.
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Boris Johnson will be out on the campaign trail in Nottinghamshire today, no doubt trashing Labor’s manifesto as unworkable, but also revealing a plan for ahigher stamp duty rate for non-UK residents.The election pledge is most likely designed to link foreign purchasers to inflated property prices. Under a new Johnson government, they would pay an extra 3% stamp duty. It will apply to companies and individuals, and also to expats wanting to move back home. According to the Conservatives, as many as one in eight new London homes were bought by non-residents in 2014 – 16.
The (Conservativesestimate the measure will raise up to £ 120 m, which would be directed at programs to tackle rough sleeping.
The stamp duty move followsLabor’s manifesto pledge to build 150, 000 council and social homesa year by the end of the next parliament.
at least one candidate is up early pushing the Tory line on housing. Robert Jenrick, the Tory candidate for Newark, who is standing for re-election, says “more homes of all types are built under @Conservatives”.
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In a moment I’ll bring you up to date on all the day’s comings and goings with events planned for most parties, but first, let’s have a quick look at the front pages… where Labor’s manifesto is front and center.
Given the reaction of the business community, I’m going to include some bonus business pages in today’s press coverage roundup.
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Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the general election. I’m Alison Rourke and I’ll be steering you through this early part of the day before handing over to colleagues.
As Labor embarks on its big sell of theparty’s manifesto, Jeremy Corbyn will be out and about in the Midlands today. He’ll be urging people to register to vote this morning, before next Tuesday’s deadline to get on the electoral roll (applications must be submitted by 11. (pm that day).
He will tell people in Stoke that people need to sign up to achieve real change and “make sure their voice is heard”. According to Corbyn, a whopping 9 million voters are still not registered.
“We want to make the next five days the biggest voter registration drive that our country has ever seen,” he will say.
If you missed out on the detail of the manifesto,you can catch up here.My cheatsheet guide includes a huge investment insocial housing, education,Health,providing universalfree broadband, a5% pay risefor public sector workers, thenationalizationof rail, water and mail, and new powers to allow councils to take control of bus services. Total cost: £ 82 .9bn.
There’s plenty of analysis from the Guardian’s experts and comment writers on the manifesto, includingfrom Richard Partington(businesses say manifesto will suppress innovation andsmother growth),John Crace(Corbyn has gone for broke).
It will all provide fodder for when Corbyn, (Boris Johnson) , Nicola Sturgeon and Jo Swinson appear tonight a special edition of the BBC’s Question Time.
So, as your captain says before takeoff: sit back, relax, and enjoy the (Friday) ride.
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