Broken promises

1) Balancing the books in five years2) “Most family friendly Government”3) No frontline cuts4) No VAT rise 5) Preserving tax credits for middle earners6) Keeping the Educational Maintenance Allowance7) Retaining the Child Trust Fund for the poorest families8) Keeping the Future Jobs Fund 9) Keeping Child Benefit universal10) Removing the couple penalty in the tax and benefits system11) Removing high marginal tax rates12) No more top-down NHS reorganisations13) Cut NHS bureaucracy14) Stopping hospital closures15) Protecting the NHS budget16) 3,000 more midwives17) Scrapping tuition fees18) Compensating Equitable Life policyholders19) Three more army battalions20) Stopping any cuts to the Royal Navy21) A ban on illegal timber22) No bank bonuses over £2,000 23) Banning Hizb-ut Tahrir24) 45,000 new single rooms in the NHS25) 5,000 new prison places26) Reducing taxes on savings27) Protecting Sure Start28) Legislate on the 0.7 per cent target for international aid29) Cap rail fares at 1 per cent above inflation30) “Greenest government ever”31) Presumption of prison for those carrying a knife32) Making work pay33) The bank levy would raise £2.5 billion34) Legislate to give people the lowest energy bill tariffs35) No cuts to public spending in 201036) 3,000 more police officers37) Cutting rail fares each year38) No new nuclear power stations39) A Post Office Bank40) Anonymity for rape defendants

Government broken promises

1) Balancing the books in five years They promised: David Cameron promised in 2010 that his Government

would balance the books in five years’ time.

“In five years’ time, we will have balanced the books.”David Cameron, speech to CBI Annual Conference, 25 October 2010, http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/creating-a-new-economic-dynamism/

They broke their promise: The Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed in December’s Autumn Statement that the Government will now only meet its target to balance the cyclically-adjusted current budget until 2017-18. In addition, the OBR has said the Government is now not on target to meet its commitment to get debt falling as a proportion of GDP by 2015-16.

“The Government’s ‘fiscal mandate’ requires it to balance the cyclically-adjusted current budget (CACB) at the end of a rolling five-year period, now 2017-18. Our central forecast shows the CACB in surplus by 0.9 per cent of GDP in 2017-18, implying that the Government is more likely than not to meet the mandate.”Office for Budget Responsibility Economic and Fiscal Outlook, December 2012, p.6, http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/December-2012-Economic-and-fiscal-outlook23423423.pdf

“The Government now appears more likely than not to miss its ‘supplementary target’, which requires PSND to fall as a share of GDP between 2014-15 and 2015-16.”Office for Budget Responsibility Economic and Fiscal Outlook, December 2012, p.6, http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/December-2012-Economic-and-fiscal-outlook23423423.pdf

2) “Most family friendly Government” They promised: In Opposition, David Cameron said he wanted his

Government to be the most family friendly ever.

“I want the next Government to be the most family friendly Government we’ve ever had in this country and that is about everything we do to support families and it’s about supporting every sort of family.”David Cameron, speech, 22 January 2010, http://www.conservatives.com/News/Speeches/2010/01/David_Cameron_Mending_our_Broken_Society.aspx

They broke that promise: The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies has found that, as a result of the tax and benefit reforms announced in the Autumn Statement, a one earner family with children will on average be £534 per year worse off by April 2015. (Institute for Fiscal Studies, 6 December 2012, http://www.ifs.org.uk/conferences/PTAB_SA.pdf)

The Government’s policies mean that families with children are paying more than twice as much as the banks in reducing the deficit.

Since taking office the Government has actually cut the amount of support parents can receive for childcare, making it harder for parents to go out to work. Until April 2011, parents could get help with up to 80 per cent of their childcare costs - subject to a maximum limit in the amount of childcare costs they can claim each week. But the Government cut the amount they

could claim to 70 per cent, costing families up to £1,500 a year. (Spending Review 2010, Table 3, p. 12)

3) No frontline cuts They promised: David Cameron said in May 2010 that any Cabinet minister

who proposed front line cuts would “be sent straight back to their department to go away and think again”.

"What I can tell you is any cabinet minister, if I win the election, who comes to me and says: ‘Here are my plans’ and they involve frontline reductions, they’ll be sent straight back to their department to go away and think again."David Cameron, The Andrew Marr Show, 2 May 2010

They broke their promise: The Coalition Government has already announced frontline cuts including cutting almost 7,000 nurses, axing 15,000 police officers by 2015, cutting 10,000 university places, cancelling the rollout of the Future Jobs Fund and scrapping school building schemes.

4) No VAT rise They promised: During the General Election campaign, the Conservatives

repeatedly denied that they had plans to raise VAT.

“We have no plans to increase VAT.”George Osborne, The Times, 10 April 2010

"Well what we can say is we have set out our plans and our plans involve cutting wasteful spending and National Insurance rise, our plans don’t involve an increase in VAT."David Cameron, Sky News, 1 April 2010

Before the General Election, the Liberal Democrats said that their plans did not require a rise in VAT. Nick Clegg called VAT “a cop-out”.

"We will not have to raise VAT to deliver our promises. The Conservatives will. Let me repeat that: Our plans do not require a rise in VAT. The Tory plans do."Nick Clegg, speech at launch of Liberal Democrat “Tory VAT Bombshell” poster, Glasgow, 8 April 2010

Jim Naughtie: You know plans are a start but you’re going to have to find those savage cuts in public spending that you’ve alluded to but not spelt out or you’re going to have to have tax rises for example in VAT. Let’s start with VAT.

Nick Clegg: I think that VAT is a cop-out.BBC R4 Today, 7 April 2010

They broke their promise: The June Budget announced that VAT would rise to 20% from January 2011.

“The standard rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) will increase from 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent from 4 January 2011.”June Budget 2010, 1.44, p 18

5) Preserving tax credits for middle earners They promised: The Conservatives promised before the election that no

family with an income below £40,000 would lose tax credits.

"Our policy is to stop families with incomes over £50,000 from getting the family element of the Child Tax Credit. No family with an income below £40,000 will lose out."Conservative Party spokesman, Guardian, 3 May 2010

“In the last couple of days the Labour Party briefly paid for a misleading advert on the popular MumsNet site about our plans for tax credits. I think it’s important that people know the truth.They say our policy will take away tax credits from families with incomes of £31,000 or more. That is a lie, and it is irresponsible for Labour to be scaremongering in this way and worrying families needlessly.So I want to be very clear. We think that tax credits provide a vital boost for families across the country. We support tax credits and we will keep them.”Theresa May, The Blue Blog, 11 February 2010

They broke their promise: Tax credit changes which took effect in April 2012 reduced the income limit for Child Tax Credit. This means that from last April you are no longer likely to get Child Tax Credit is you have one child and your annual income is more than around £26,000 or if you have two children and your annual income is more than around £32,200.

Child Tax Credit payments depend on your circumstances and income.Before April 2012, you could usually get some Child Tax Credit, as long as your income was not over the limit of £41,300. From 6 April 2012 this limit is lower for most people.The income limit for you now depends on your own individual circumstances. But as a very rough guide, you might not get Child Tax Credit from 6 April 2012 if:you have one child, and your annual income is more than around £26,000you have two children, and your annual income is more than around £32,200HMRC, tax credits: effect of Budget changes from 6 April 2012, http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcreditsbudget/index.htm

In addition, the 2010 Spending Review announced changes to the rules around eligibility for working tax credits which mean couples on low incomes with children now only get the Working Tax Credit if they work 24 hours a week between them.

“…changing the eligibility rules so that couples with children must work 24 hours a week between them, with one partner working at least 16 hours a week in order to qualify for the WTC, saving £390 million a year by 2014-15”.Spending Review 2010, Box 2.6, p. 68

6) Keeping Educational Maintenance Allowances They promised: Before the General Election, David Cameron and Michael

Gove both said that they would not scrap EMAs.

"We’ve looked at Educational Maintenance Allowances and we haven’t announced any plan to get rid of them. They do often if you go to schools and ask people what they think of them and ask young people themselves, they get quite a mixed reception actually because some people can see them as a bit divisive, but no we don’t have any plans to get rid of them."David Cameron, "Cameron Direct", 6 January 2010

"Ed Balls keeps saying that we are committed to scrapping the EMA. I have never said this. We won't."Michael Gove, Q&A The Guardian, 2 March 2010

Even after the election, Education Minister Nick Gibb said that “The Government are committed to maintaining the education maintenance allowance”.

“The Government are committed to retaining the education maintenance allowance (EMA). The budget for 2010-11 is £564 million, enabling young people aged 16 to 19 in England who meet residency criteria and have a bank account to receive EMA payments if their household income is under £30,801 (based on evidence from the last full financial year).”Nick Gibb, Hansard, 7 June 2010, Column 307W

They broke their promise: In the Spending Review, the Government announced that they are ending EMAs.

"Ending Education Maintenance Allowances, which have deadweight costs of around 90%, saving £0.5 billion, and replacing them with targeted support for those who face genuine barriers to participation."HM Treasury, Spending Review 2010 press notices, 22 October 2010

7) Retaining the Child Trust Fund for the poorest families They promised: The Conservatives promised that the Child Trust Fund would

be retained for the poorest third of families and families with disabled children.

"… cut government contributions to Child Trust Funds for all but the poorest third of families and families with disabled children"Conservative Party manifesto 2010, p. 8

They broke their promise: The Government has scrapped the Child Trust Fund entirely.

"The Government intends to introduce secondary legislation to scale back Government payments due to Child Trust Funds from 1 August 2010. From that date, payments at birth will be reduced from £250 to £50 for better off families, and £500 to £100 for lower income families; and payments at age 7 stopped. The Government intends to introduce primary legislation to stop all payments from 1 January 2011. Additional contributions for disabled children will be paid this year. From 2011-12 the money used for these additional contributions will be redirected to respite care for disabled children."HM Treasury press release, 24 May 2010

8) Keeping the Future Jobs Fund They promised: David Cameron praised the Future Jobs Fund as a “good

scheme” and the Conservatives said they had “no plans to change existing Future Jobs Fund commitments”.

“Conservative leader David Cameron visited Liverpool and pledged Tory support for continuing job creation schemes aimed at helping young people who have “slipped through the cracks” get back into work.“Mr Cameron and his entourage descended on Merseystride, a social enterprise helping the long-term unemployed in Everton.“And, after meeting young people who had secured work at the Great Homer Street site assembling and selling furniture, Mr Cameron said he had been ‘inspired’ by what he had seen.“He said the Government’s Future Jobs Fund programme – aimed at 16 to 24-year-olds struggling to find work – was a ‘good scheme.’”Liverpool Daily Post, 31 March 2010

"I welcome this opportunity to clarify the Conservative position on the Future Jobs Fund, which I feel has been misrepresented by certain groups in the media. We have no plans to change existing Future Jobs Fund commitments.

"However, as you point out in your letter, it is essential that this support delivers long-term sustainable work for those who take up Future Jobs Fund opportunities. If elected we will review the operation of the Fund to ensure that this is the case."Theresa May, then Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, letter to Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, 28 April 2010

Before the General Election, the Liberal Democrats said that they had “no plans to change or reduce existing commitments to the Future Jobs Fund”.

“We have no plans to change or reduce existing commitments to the Future Jobs Fund. We believe that more help is needed for young people, not less.”Letter from Steve Webb (then Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary for Work and Pensions) to ACEVO, 21 April 2010, http://www.acevo.org.uk/Document.Doc?id=604

They broke their promise: The Coalition Government has scrapped the rollout of the Future Jobs Fund.

“£320m from ending ineffective elements of employment programmes, including ending further rollout of temporary jobs through the Young Person’s Guarantee (the ‘Future Jobs Fund’) and removing recruitment subsidies from the ‘Six-Month Offer’.”HM Treasury press release, 24 May 2010

9) Keeping Child Benefit universal They promised: David Cameron said “I wouldn’t change Child Benefit, I

wouldn’t means test it, I don’t think that is a good idea”.

“First of all, I think child benefit is a really successful benefit. You’re shaking your head I’m afraid I don’t agree with you. That’s why these sessions are important, I’m not going to flannel you I’m going to give it to you straight. I like child benefit do you know why? It goes straight to the mother. It’s a benefit we all understand. It’s a benefit that definitely helps families to bring up children. I think the fact that the child benefit for the first child is more is important because that’s when families have a lot of extra spending to do so I wouldn’t change child benefit, I wouldn’t means test it, I don’t think that is a good idea.”David Cameron, Cameron Direct in Bolton, 5 March 2010

They broke their promise: In the Spending Review, the Government announced that Child Benefit would be withdrawn from families with a higher rate taxpayer. In March 2012 the Government amended this so that Child Benefit would be gradually withdrawn from households were someone has an income over £50,000 and would be removed entirely from households where someone has an income of over £60,000.

“To ensure the welfare system is sustainable, the Spending Review announces further welfare savings, including reforms to save £2.5 billion a year by 2014-15 by withdrawing Child Benefit from families with a higher rate taxpayer so that people on lower incomes are not subsiding those who are better off”.Spending Review, 20 October 2010, 1.61, p. 28

Budget 2012 announces that Child Benefit will be withdrawn through an income tax charge, and that the charge will only apply to households where someone has an income over £50,000 a year. For households where someone has an income between £50,000 and £60,000 the charge will apply gradually, preventing a cliff edge effect. Only households where someone has an income in excess of £60,000 a year will no longer gain from Child Benefit.HM Treasury, Budget 2012, P.3, http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_complete.pdf

David Cameron has apologised for this broken promise, saying “Of course I’m sorry about that”.

David Cameron: Before in the election campaign both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats actually said there are going to be cuts, there are going to be difficult cuts. We outlined some of those cuts. We did not outline all of those cuts, we did not know exactly the situation we were going to inherit. But yes I acknowledge this was not in our manifesto…

Tom Bradby: And you’re sorry about that?David Cameron: Of course I’m sorry about that but I think we need to be clear

about why we’re doing what we’re doing.ITV News, 5 October 2010

10) Removing the couple penalty in the tax and benefits system They promised: Before the General Election the Conservatives complained

that the “tax and benefits system rewards couples who split up”. Their manifesto included a commitment to remove what they called “the couple penalty”, and this was repeated in the Coalition agreement.

“Today, Labour’s tax and benefits system rewards couples who split up. A Conservative government will end the couple penalty for all couples in the tax credit system as we make savings from our welfare reform plans.”Conservative Party manifesto 2010, p. 41

“We will bring forward plans to reduce the couple penalty in the tax credit system as we make savings from our welfare reform plans.”Coalition Programme, 20 May 2010, p. 19

They broke their promise: The decision to remove Child Benefit from higher income households will mean that a couple in which one partner earns over £60,000 would lose child benefit completely if they stayed together, but would become entitled to it again if they split up.

11) Removing high marginal tax rates They promised: Before the General Election, David Cameron spoke of his

anger about high marginal tax rates for people moving off benefits into work. The Conservative Party’s manifesto pledged to take action on this.

“Thirty years ago this party won an election fighting against 98 per cent tax rates on the richest. Today I want us to show even more anger about 96 per cent tax rates on the poorest”.David Cameron, speech to Conservative Party Conference, 8 October 2009

“We need to make work pay, so we will keep the minimum wage and work to reduce the very high marginal tax rates faced by many people on low incomes who want to return to work or increase their earnings.”Conservative manifesto 2010, p.16

They broke their promise: The impact assessment for Universal Credit shows that 2.1 million people will see an increase in their marginal tax rates.

MDR increases (millions) MDR decreases (millions)First earners 1.8 1.3Second earners 0.3 0.2

Total 2.1 1.5DWP, Impact Assessment for Universal Credit, December 2012, p.26, http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/universal-credit-wr2011-ia.pdf

12) No more top-down NHS reorganisations They promised: Before the election the Conservatives repeatedly promised

no more top down reorganisations of the NHS. This was reiterated in the Coalition agreement.

“So I make this commitment to the NHS and all who work in it.“No more pointless reorganisations.”David Cameron, Conference speech 4 October 2006

“The NHS needs no more pointless organisational upheaval. It needs no more top-down reorganisations.” Andrew Andrew Lansley, press release, 11 July 2007

“With the Conservatives there will be no more of the tiresome, meddlesome, top-down re-structures that have dominated the last decade of the NHS.” David Cameron, speech at the Royal College of Pathologists, 2 November 2009

"We will stop the top-down reorganisations of the NHS that have got in the way of patient care." The Coalition: our programme for government, 20 May 2010, p. 24

They broke their promise: The Government’s July White Paper “Equity and Excellence; Liberating the NHS” proposes the biggest reorganisation of the NHS in its 62 year history. Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) will be abolished, and commissioning responsibilities will be transferred to GPs.

13) Cut NHS bureaucracy They promised: The Conservatives promised that they would cut

bureaucracy in the NHS.

“We will decentralise power, so that patients have a real choice. We will make doctors and nurses accountable to patients, not to endless layers of bureaucracy and management.”Conservative Party manifesto, April 2010, p. 45

They broke their promise: The Health and Social Care Act introduce new layers of bureaucracy into the NHS. New quangos created by the Tories include: Public Health England, Health Education England, Clinical Commissioning Groups, National Commissioning Board, SHA Clusters, PCT Clusters, Healthwatch England, NHS Property Services and Commissioning Support Services. According to the Royal College of GPs, the reorganisation moves the NHS from having 163 statutory organisations to 521.

The bureaucracy with the new Bill, post-pause, means that we have gone—we have calculated this—from 163 statutory organisations to a proposed 521, not counting the commissioning support organisations. Clearly, we have massively increased the bureaucracy, if one calls it that, within the new, post-pause NHS. With respect to the national commissioning board and whatever, the current, post-pause Bill seems to be very incoherent. No matter what one felt about the pre-pause Bill, it was coherent. This is not. It is neither liberating nor controlling. It neither allows for GPs to be innovative, nor does it give them tight restraints."Dr Clare Gerada, Royal College of GPs, evidence to Health and Social Care Bill Committee, 28 June 2011

14) Stopping hospital closures They promised: The Conservative manifesto pledged to stop the closure of

A&E and maternity wards.

‘We will stop the centrally dictated closure of A&E and maternity wards, so that people have better access to local services, and give mothers real choice over where to have their baby, with NHS funding following their decisions.”Conservative party manifesto, April 2010, p. 47

They broke their promise: Since May, a number of decisions have been made to close local A&E and maternity services.

“Permanent closures and downgrading of services agreed since May: “Newark Hospital, Nottinghamshire, A&E services to be downgraded, with emergency medical admissons no longer taken from April 2011. “Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Welwyn Garden City. A&E service to be downgraded and consultant led maternity unit closed. Casualty unit likely to be staffed by GPs and nurses. No date set for changes. A review will decide whether a midwife-led unit, for "low-risk" cases, will be set up. “Sandwell General Hospital in Birmingham will lose consultant-led maternity services in 2011. A midwife led unit due to open in Sandwell by the end of that year. “Maidstone Hospital in Kent will lose consultant-led maternity services in the summer of 2011. Plans were drawn up under Labour, Coalition Government agreed it could go ahead in July. Sunday Telegraph, 9 October 2010

15) Protecting the NHS budget They promised: Before the election and in Government the Conservatives

pledged to protect NHS funding and increase it in real terms.

"We are the only party committed to protecting NHS spending. I'll cut the deficit, not the NHS.”David Cameron, speech at Conservative draft health manifesto launch, 4 January 2010

“We will guarantee that health spending increases in real terms, in each year of the Parliament, while recognising the impact this decision will have on other departments”The Coalition: our programme for government, 20 May 2010, p. 24

They broke their promise: The Government claims the Spending Review gives the NHS a 0.4% rise but this includes additional money for social care. According to the House of Commons Library, the social care funding switch means a real-terms cut to the NHS of an average of 0.54% over the Spending Review period.

They broke their promise: In response to a letter from Andy Burnham, the UK Statistics Authority confirmed that based on Public Spending Statistics released in October 2012 “On the basis of these figures, we would conclude that expenditure on the NHS in real terms was lower in 2011-12 than it was in 2009-10.”.

Public Expenditure on NHS (Health); October 2012 estimates £ million

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10

2010-11 2011-12

Resource DEL less depreciation 81,838 88,033 94,611 97,638 100,483

Capital DEL 3,969 4,370 5,183 4,159 3,787Implied total Departmental Expenditure Limits in nominal terms

85,807 92,403 99,794 101,797 104,270

Implied total Departmental Expenditure Limits in real terms (2011-12 prices)

94,195 98,741 105,058

104,177

104,270

Year on year % change 4.83% 6.40% -0.84%

0.09%

Source: Public Spending Statistics October 2012

16) 3,000 more midwives They promised: In January, David Cameron told the Sun newspaper, “we will

increase the number of midwives by 3,000”.

"second, we are going to make our midwives' lives a lot easier. They are crucial to making a mum's experience of birth as good as it can possibly be, but today they are overworked and demoralised. So we will increase the number of midwives by 3000''David Cameron, The Sun, 21 January 2010, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/2817432/The-unit-was-chaotic-and-short-staffed-I-felt-I-had-to-shout-to-be-heard.html

They broke their promise: In November Cathy Warwick, General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said, "We've now had a meeting with Andrew Lansley the Secretary of State for Health and they are clearly not prepared to fulfil that commitment." A Conservative Party spokesman said there would be no increase in the number of midwife posts.

“Cathy Warwick, general secretary of the RCM, said the service is at ‘cracking point’ but the government had reneged on its promise to create more midwifery posts.“She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: ‘Before the election both David Cameron and Nick Clegg pledged more midwives. As recently as January David Cameron had an article in the The Sun where he talked about the importance of midwives to mothers and said that if he was in power he would give us 3,000 more midwives.’“She explained: ‘We've now had a meeting with Andrew Lansley the Secretary of State for Health and they are clearly not prepared to fulfil that commitment.’Daily Telegraph, 17 November 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8139521/David-Cameron-breaks-election-midwife-pledge.html

“However, a Conservative party spokesman said there would be no increase in the number of posts due to a recent levelling off of the birth rate.“He said: ‘There must of course be enough midwives to meet the demands arising from the number of births. The commitment to 3000 midwives made in Opposition was dependent on the birthrate increasing as it has done in the recent past. It was not in the coalition agreement because predictions now suggest the birthrate will be stable over the next few years.’"Daily Telegraph, 17 November 2010, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8139521/David-Cameron-breaks-election-midwife-pledge.html

17) Scrapping tuition fees They promised: All 57 Liberal Democrat MPs signed the National Union of

Students pledge to vote against any rise in tuition fees.

“Vote against any increase in fees in the next Parliament and to pressure the Government to introduce a fairer alternative”NUS Funding the Future pledge, 2010

Nick Clegg called for tutition fees to be “scrapped once and for all”.

“Students can make the difference in countless seats in this election. Use your vote to block unfair tuition fees and get them scrapped once and for all.”Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat press release, 28 April 2010

They broke their promise: Liberal Democrat ministers supported the Government’s plan to raise the tuition fees cap to £9,000.

“There will be a graduate contribution threshold of £6,000 a year. In exceptional cases, universities will be able to charge higher contributions, up to a limit of £9,000, subject to meeting much tougher conditions on widening participation and fair access. It will be up to the university or college to decide what it charges, including whether it charges at different levels for different courses.”Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, press release, 3 November 2010

18) Compensating Equitable Life policyholders They promised: The Conservatives promised to compensate Equitable Life

policyholders through an independent payment scheme based around the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. This promise was reiterated in the Coalition Agreement.

“We will implement the Ombudsman’s recommendation to make fair and transparent payments to Equitable Life policy holders, through an independent payment scheme, for their relative loss as a consequence of regulatory failure.”Conservative Party manifesto 2010, p. 12

“We will implement the Parliamentary and Health Ombudsman’s recommendation to make fair and transparent payments to Equitable Life policy holders, through an independent payment scheme, for their relative loss as a consequence of regulatory failure.”Coalition Agreement, p. 26

They broke their promise: The Coalition Government is not following the Ombudsman’s approach and has said that the report by Sir John Chadwick, commissioned by the Labour Government, would be one of the “building blocks” of the payment scheme. Ann Abraham, the Parliamentary Ombudsman upon whose report the Conservatives’ initial policy was originally based, has said that the Chadwick report cannot provide a basis for the implementation of her recommendations.

“Sir John has helped to progress the aim to establish a scheme that is fair both to policyholders and to taxpayers. He has proposed a flexible approach to determining losses that eliminates the need for policyholders to show what they would have done if the maladministration had not occurred.“I want to stress, however, that Sir John's review is just one of the building blocks in resolving what is a complex matter, and that there are other judgments to be made in determining the final shape of the scheme and the amounts that will be paid out”Mark Hoban, Statement to the House of Commons, 22 July 2010

“…the approach embodied in the Chadwick report has thus been overtaken by events and cannot provide a basis for the implementation of my recommendation”.Letter from Ann Abraham, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, 26 July 2010

The Equitable Members Action Group has claimed that the Coalition Government is “airbrushing” the Parliamentary Ombudsman out of the

equation. They have described the Coalition Government’s decision not to honour its promise a “scandal”.

“It's as if the Treasury is airbrushing the PO out of the equation, because her report doesn't fit the Treasury's unchanged and ruthless agenda.”Equitable Members Action Group, 23 August 2010 - http://www.emag.org.uk/news.php

“It's a scandal that the Treasury did not set aside the "Chadwick Process" when the coalition made its promise to honour the PO in May.”Equitable Members Action Group, 25 August 2010 - http://www.emag.org.uk/news.php

19) Three more army battalions They promised: In opposition, the Conservatives said that the army was too

small, and called for the restoration of three army battalions.

“In the real world the only logical conclusion you can come to is that the army is already too small. Let me tell you that the Conservative Party will ensure that whenever the election comes the need for a bigger army, returning to proper, planned, establishment levels will be a key battleground. But if we are to deal with overstretch and the breaking of the harmony guidelines we will have to go further. We want to see the restoration of the three infantry battalions cut by labour as soon as possible once we have seen the MoD's books and identified the savings to pay for them. A bigger Army for a safer Britain.”Liam Fox, Speech to Conservative Party Conference, 2 October 2007

“But there is something else that we need to understand and that is that we will never be able to really improve the welfare of our forces unless we also look at expanding our Army. I am delighted that Liam has made his priority restoring those cuts to the Army, the three battalions that should never have been abolished by this Government.”David Cameron, Speech to Conservative Party Conference, 3 October 2007

They broke their promise: In the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Government announced that the size of the army would be reduced by around 7,000.

“We plan to make total reductions of around 17,000 service personnel by 2015:• the Royal Navy will decrease by around 5,000 personnel to a total of c.30,000• the Army by around 7,000 to c.95,000• the RAF by around 5,000 personnel to c.33,000.”The Strategic Defence and Security Review, October 2010, p. 32

20) Stopping any cuts to the Royal Navy They promised: As Shadow Defence Secretary, Liam Fox stated that any

cuts to the Royal Navy would be “a betrayal of our heritage and downright irresponsible in a dangerous age”.

“The fact that our navy is able to accomplish so much and be held in such high regard even after a decade of Labour neglect is testament to the professional ethos of every sailor, marine and submariner in the Royal Navy. To think that Britain can manage its current maritime responsibilities with anything less than it has now is not only unrealistic but a betrayal of our heritage and downright irresponsible in a dangerous age.”Liam Fox, The Daily Telegraph, 6 December 2008

They broke their promise: The Government reduced the Royal Navy’s surface fleet from 23 to 19 in the SDSR.

“We will accordingly: • decommission HMS Ark Royal immediately; • reduce by four the number of frigates;“The Strategic Defence and Security Review, October 2010, p. 22

21) A ban on illegal timber They promised: The Conservative manifesto promised a ban under UK law

on the import and possession of illegally logged timber. The pledge went on to form part of the Coalition Programme.

“We will tackle illegal logging by: pressing for financial support from within a reformed EU budget to be given to

developing countries to halt deforestation; pressing for only legally-harvested timber and timber products to be made available

on the market; and, introducing a new criminal offence under UK law for the import and possession of

illegal timber.”Conservative Manifesto 2010, p. 96

“We will introduce measures to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence. “Coalition Agreement, p. 17

They broke their promise: Environment Minister Jim Paice MP said wrote to MPs saying that this pledge has been dropped.

“In correspondence from a government minister to the Green MP Caroline Lucas, the government makes clear it will not honour a pledge to make it a criminal offence to posess, or bring into the country, illegal timber.”Guardian, 20 September 2010

"In these difficult financial times, we need to focus on the principles of better regulation. There is little to be gained by initiating additional (and duplicative) UK legislation in this area and we must be wary of creating a disadvantage in our timber's trade's efforts to act as world leaders in the procurement of legal timber.”Jim Paice (text of letter to MPs), Guardian, 20 September 2010

22) No bank bonuses over £2,000 They promised: In 2009, David Cameron said that no employee in a state-

owned bank should be paid a bonus of over £2,000.

"Where the taxpayer owns a large stake in a bank we are saying that no employee should be paid a bonus of over £2,000. People who work hard are seeing billions of pounds of their tax money being paid out and are rightly angry about it."David Cameron, Daily Telegraph, 15 February 2009, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/4632808/David-Cameron-calls-for-2000-cap-on-banking-bonuses.html

No bank bonuses over £2,000David Cameron has stressed that no cash bonuses over £2,000 should be paid to any employee of a bank which has a significant taxpayer shareholding.In an interview on the BBC Politics Show, David said, “People who work hard are seeing billions of pounds of their tax money being paid out and are rightly angry about it.”And he attacked Gordon Brown for failing to put conditions in place to limit the bonuses paid by those banks that have taken taxpayers’ money - RBS, Lloyds, B&B and Northern Rock.“Unfortunately the only action the Government has taken is to announce a review into bonuses which will not report until the end of the year. Because of this dithering we

could see bonuses being paid out for a second year to executives in taxpayer owned banks which is unacceptable.”Putting the limit at £2,000 would mean bank tellers are not unfairly punished.Conservative Party website, 15 February 2010, http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2009/02/No_bank_bonuses_over_2000.aspx

In the final Leaders' Debate before the election, Nick Clegg said, "We should say no bonuses whatsoever for the directors of banks at board level".

“Well Ian specifically on bonuses. I would say we need to do the following. Firstly, it sounds draconian but I think it’s now necessary. We should say no bonuses whatsoever for the directors of banks at board level. Why do I say that? Because I don’t want people who are actually running those businesses which they should be running for the long term interest and indeed for their clients to be kind of susceptible to the temptations of the bonus incentive. By all means pay them lots of money, give them a … you know fancy membership of a golf club but don’t give them these bonuses. Then I would say absolutely no cash bonuses at all above two and a half thousand pounds and finally I don’t think banks which are making losses should have be handing multi billion pound bonuses at all. Full stop. So no bank, no bonuses in banks who make a loss. No bonuses for people at director level and no cash bonuses above two and a half thousand pounds. That’s specific. Its tough but it will finally root out this outrageous abuse of bankers bonuses.”Nick Clegg, Leaders’ Debate, 29 April 2010

They broke their promise: This has not happened.

23) Banning Hizb ut-Tahrir They promised: The Conservatives promised in their manifesto to ban Hizb

ut-Tahrir.

“Terrorism remains a major threat to our country and some of the biggest threats to our security do not come from abroad – they are home grown. A Conservative government will ban any organisations which advocate hate or the violent overthrow of our society, such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and close down organisations which attempt to fund terrorism from the UK. In Northern Ireland, we will continue to give our fullest support to the police and other agencies in their efforts to combat the threat from dissident republican and other terrorist organisations.”Conservative Party Manifesto 2010, Page 105-6

David Cameron used Gordon Brown’s first Prime Minister’s Questions to complain that Hizb ut-Tahrir had not been banned, asking “What more evidence do we need before we ban that organisation?”.

“We need to act against groups which are seeking to radicalise young people. Almost two years ago, the Government said that they would ban the extremist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir. We think it should be banned—why has it not happened?”David Cameron, Hansard, 4 July 2007, column 951

“The Prime Minister said that we need evidence about Hizb ut-Tahrir. That organisation says that Jews should be killed wherever they are found. What more evidence do we need before we ban that organisation? It is poisoning the minds of young people. Two years ago, the Government said that it should be banned. I ask again: when will this be done?”David Cameron, Hansard, 4 July 2007, column 952

As Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Grayling promised that he would “immediately ban Hizb-ut-Tahrir”.

“Our police and security services have done a magnificent job in protecting us against the terrorist threat.“We owe them a huge debt of gratitude.“But we are still not tough enough on those who spread a doctrine of hate in Britain.“So I will immediately ban Hiz b’ut Tahrir, and any other group that actively incites hatred and violence.”Chris Grayling, Former Shadow Home Secretary, Speech to Conservative Party Conference, 7 October 2009

They broke their promise: By January 2011, Hizb ut-Tahrir had still not been proscribed. Challenged on this issue at Prime Minister’s Questions by Labour MP Clive Efford, David Cameron did not explain why his manifesto commitment had not been kept.

Clive Efford: Today there is an order before Parliament to proscribe the TPP, the Pakistan Taliban. Just one week into his predecessor’s term in office as Prime Minister, the Rt Hon member for Kirkcaldy, the Prime Minister demanded to know why he had not proscribed Hizb ut-Tahrir. Just 8 months into his term in office can he explain to the House why he has not fulfilled his manifesto commitment?

David Cameron: You could put it another way round which is why did the last Government have thirteen years, thirteen years and the Pakistani Taliban were never banned. It’s taken us eight months to do what you failed to do in twelve years.

Prime Minister's Questions, 19 January 2011

24) 45,000 new single rooms in the NHS They promised: In 2008, the Conservatives announced that they would

create 45,000 additional single rooms in the NHS estate.

“I am determined that the NHS will be equipped to meet standards of dignity and safety, and provide real choice to patients – the kind of choices which private patients take for granted.“So today I am announcing that within five years, under a Conservative Government, every patient will be given the opportunity to choose a single room when booking an operation in hospital.“Every hospital will have the single rooms they need to isolate infected patients.“All mothers in maternity care will have access to a single room.“All mental health patients will have single rooms.“No patient will be in mixed-sex accommodation.”Andrew Lansley, speech to Conservative Party Conference, 29 September 2008

'Dignity and safety' – A major programme to ensure that single rooms are available for all patients who need one on grounds of medical safety or to maintain personal dignity. This will mean:* A guarantee that all mothers giving birth in NHS hospitals who want a single room will have one.* A guarantee that everyone staying on mental health wards will have a single room.* A pledge that seven percent of hospital beds will be turned into single rooms specifically reserved so that patients who have, or are suspected of having, a hospital infection can be immediately isolated.'Real room choice' – All patients admitted to hospital for planned care will be able to choose whether they want to stay in a single room or on a bay while they are treated in hospital.Together these two commitments will mean:* Nearly doubling in the number of single rooms in the NHS after five years – 45,000 more single rooms* An increase in the proportion of single rooms in NHS hospitals from 28 per cent to 55 per cent.

* £1.57 billion of capital funding over five years to allow NHS hospitals to be able to provide patients with the accommodation that they choose.Conservative Party press release, 29 September 2008

Labour pointed out that this policy would cost £9.51 billlion, rather than the £1.57 billion the Conservatives had estimated.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) his Department's officials and (b) NHS officials have been instructed to review the cost to the public purse of providing more single rooms within the NHS estate since 27 September 2008.Ann Keen: In October 2008 the Department's officials reported a capital cost estimate of about £9.51 billion (at Quarter 1 2008 prices) for providing 45,000 more single rooms, £211,401 per bed, while maintaining the existing bed capacity of the national health service estate. This costing was based on standard NHS costing methodologies.Hansard, 28 October 2008: Column 922W

They broke their promise: While David Cameron denied that the promise had been dropped, saying “it hasn’t gone” and “I think we will be able to make a lot of progress”, he admitted that “it’s not a pledge that we can guarantee in the parliament”.

David Cameron: In our health manifesto this week we do believe that more single rooms in hospitals are a very good thing for two reasons, one is it’s what people want, also it’s good for infection control and if you go round a hospital today and ask them if you built this again would you have more single rooms, they say yes, but we’re not able to make a pledge for a parliament so it is an aspiration to increase the number of single rooms, we believe because we unlike the other parties we protected the health budget and said that that will grow in real terms we believe we will be able to make progress but we were very clear in the manifesto about what we promised.

Evan Davis: So it’s gone?David Cameron: No it hasn’t…Evan Davis: It’s a decade of aspiration but if you can’t do it, you can’t pay for it, it’s

gone. This is what happens?David Cameron: No Evan I think because we’re making an exception for the NHS. I

think that’s a very important decision that the Conservatives made…Evan Davis: You still haven’t got the money.David Cameron: Well no, well as I said we have set out that we think we can make

progress but it’s very clear that it’s not a pledge that we can guarantee in the parliament.

BBC R4 Today, 7 January 2010

25) 5,000 new prison places They promised: In opposition, the Conservatives promised to introduce

5,000 additional prison places above Labour’s plans.

“Building on Policy Exchange’s work, we calculate that even after allowing for the cost of providing uncrowded replacements for existing jails, re-developing up to 30 existing prisons would release up to £250 million. This money would provide almost 3,500 prefabricated brick and steel units, with a life expectancy of at least 30 years, to expand existing prison sites, and thereby relieve overcrowding throughout the estate.“Taking the additional 1,500 places in the new prisons, together with the 3,500 built with the money released from redevelopment, this programme would enable us to increase accommodation by a total of more than 5,000 places over Labour’s plans, taking the total operational capacity in the estate to over 100,000, in a rebuilding programme that would redevelop almost a fifth of the entire prison estate.”

Conservative Party, “Prisons with a Purpose: Our Sentencing and Rehabilitation Revolution to Break the Cycle of Crime, Security Agenda Policy Green Paper No. 4”, March 2008, p. 98

"To ensure that we have adequate space to house offenders, our plans for renewal of the prison estate will increase capacity by 5,000 places above Labour’s plans."Conservative Party website, Crime and Justice policy, http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_we_stand/Crime_and_Justice.aspx (now deleted)

They broke their promise: The Conservatives dropped this policy before the election.

“Our commitment is to end early release and introduce min max sentencing for certain offenders, not to build a fixed number of new prison places. How many new prison places are required to fulfill [sic] our commitment will depend on progress of Labour's own building programme, prison population levels and the success of our rehabilitation revolution.”Conservative Party press release, 4 January 2010, p. 11

26) Reducing taxes on savings They promised: In 2009, David Cameron pledged to abolish income tax on

savings for basic rate taxpayers, and to raise the tax allowance for pensioners by £2,000.

“In order to help deal with Labour's Debt Crisis and help turn Britain from a spend, spend, spend society into a save, save, save society it is time to abolish income tax on savings for everyone on the basic rate of tax, with top rate taxpayers continuing to pay the same and it is time to raise the tax allowance for pensioners by £2,000.”David Cameron, Monthly Press Conference, 5 January 2009

The Conservatives promised to “restore our savings culture” and “build a saving society”.

“We will restore our savings culture and encourage people to save more for retirement.”Conservative Party, “A New Economic Model: Eight Benchmarks for Britain”, 2 February 2010, p. 10

"From the ashes of the debt boom we will build a saving society."George Osborne, speech, 2 February 2010

They broke their promise: David Cameron dropped his promise of tax breaks for savers before the election.

Evan Davis: Sorry let’s take a couple of examples, you’ve said it’s time to abolish income tax on savings for everyone at the basic rate of tax, that’s just not going to happen, that’s way off?

David Cameron: That’s a pledge we made last year…Evan Davis: It’s gone then?David Cameron: Well let me explain. In 2009 we said to the government look, in

this year what you ought to do is spend £5 billion less than you plan and instead do this thing, abolishing savings on the basic rate in the budget. They didn't do that. That was if you like, it was a budget submission so that is not something we can currently pledge to do.

BBC R4 Today, 12 January 2010

As a result of decisions taken by George Osborne in the June Budget and the Spending Review, the Office for Budget Responsibility has twice revised down its forecast of the saving ratio.

Saving ratio (level, per cent)

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

OBR Pre-Budget forecast

7.2 7.5 7.3 7.2 7.3 N/A

OBR Budget forecast 6.9 6.8 6.4 6.0 5.6 5.4OBR November Economic and fiscal outlook

4.1 3.4 3.1 3.2 3.4 3.4

Total change -3.1 -4.1 -4.2 -4.0 -3.9 -2.0

27) Protecting Sure Start They promised: They promised to protect Sure Start children’s centres.

Questioner: As a parent who relies heavily on Sure Start centres for the educational and social needs of my child, I would like to know whether these centres will continue to receive funding? David Cameron: Yes, we back Sure Start. It's a disgrace that Gordon Brown has been trying to frighten people about this.Independent, 5 May 2010

They broke their promise: Sure Start funding has been cut since the 2010 general election. Ofsted’s 2012 Annual Report showed there are now 381 fewer Sure Start centres and many more are scaling back services such as childcare.

28) Legislate on the 0.7% target for international aid They promised: The Coalition Agreement and all three party manifestos committed

to 0.7 per cent GNI to be spent on international aid and this commitment to be enshrined in law.

"We will honour our commitment to spend 0.7% of GNI on overseas aid from 2013, and to enshrine this commitment in law."Coalition Agreement, May 2010, p22

"A new Conservative government will be fully committed to achieving, by 2013, the UN target of spending 0.7 per cent of national income as aid. We will stick to the rules laid down by the oeCD about what spending counts as aid. We will legislate in the first session of a new Parliament to lock in this level of spending for every year from 2013."Conservative Party Manifesto 2010, p117

They broke their promise: The Government failed to include the 0.7 legislation in the Queen’s speech as promised. In November 2011, when the economic forecast was down, George Osborne announced that the Government will cut the international development budget by £1.17 billion.

“Adjust the allocation of Official Development Assistance in line with the OBR’s revised growth forecast, so that the UK spends 0.56 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance in 2012 and 0.7 per cent in 2013 and thereafter.”Autumn Statement, November 2011

“We can talk about the merits of legislation, but we do not need a piece of legislation.”George Osborne, Hansard, 23 April 2012, column 675, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120423/debtext/120423-0001.htm#1204234001161

29) Cap rail fares at 1 per cent above inflation They promised: David Cameron pledged to cap rail fare increases at one per

cent above the rate of inflation for at least the next two years.

“Kicking off the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, the prime minister said rises in regulated rail fares and London bus and tube tickets would be capped at the RPI rate of inflation plus 1%, rather than the RPI plus 3% formula that had been set out in the 2010 spending review.”The Guardian, 7 October 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/oct/07/rail-fares-capped-lower-david-cameron

They broke their promise: The Government had allowed train companies to increase regulated fares by up to 5 per cent more than the cap set by Ministers, some fares are rising by as much as 9.2 per cent.

“Anytime return from London – Norwich on Greater Anglia will go up from £98.60 to £107.70 (9.2 per cent).”Passenger Focus website, 6 December, 2012 - http://www.passengerfocus.org.uk/press/bad-news-for-some-passengers-as-details-of-individual-fare-increases-are-released

30) “Greenest government ever” They promised: David Cameron promised to lead the ‘greenest Government

ever’.

“I want us to be the greenest government ever – a very simple ambition and one that I’m absolutely committed to achieving.”David Cameron, speech at DECC, 14 May 2010

They broke their promise: The Government undermined investment in the renewables industry by ignoring the advice of the Committee on Climate Change and refusing to include a commitment to decarbonising the power sector by 2030 in their Energy Bill. Figures from Bloomberg show that investment in renewables has halved since this Government came to power (Bloomberg, November 2012, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-26/u-k-energy-policy-weighs-on-green-investment-chart-of-the-day.html).

George Osborne has attacked environmental laws, pandered to sceptics on his backbenches, and led the opposition to renewables.

“A decade of environmental laws and regulations are piling costs on the energy bills of households and companies…We’re not going to save the planet by putting our country out of business.”George Osborne, Speech to Conservative Party Conference, 3 October 2011

"The chancellor is on side [of the anti-wind campaigners] – probably. Privately he regrets all the commitments that were made… Basically I think Osborne wanted to get people into key positions who could begin to get the government off the hook from the commitments it made very foolishly [such as the] 'greenest government ever'."Peter Lilley, reported by the Guardian, 14 November 2012http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/nov/14/windfarms-coalition-environment-byelection

David Cameron appointed Owen Paterson as Environment Secretary and

John Hayes as Energy Minister – both of whom have spoken out publicly against wind farms.

They (wind turbines) are inappropriate technology which matured in the Middle Ages.”Owen Paterson, the Telegraph, 8 December 2012http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9731057/Owen-Paterson-We-want-our-country-back-from-Europe.html

“I’m saying enough is enough. We can no longer have wind turbines imposed on communities.”John Hayes, Daily Mail, 30 October 2012http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225531/Minister-signals-end-wind-farm-We-pepper-turbines-country--declares-energy-minister.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

31) Presumption of prison for those carrying a knife They promised: Before the election, David Cameron said that people caught

carrying a knife “should go to prison” as an “automatic deterrent”.

“It seems to me obvious that if you are caught carrying a knife or a gun you should go to prison, it should be an automatic deterrent, people should know that this is something that is just unacceptable. So we need to send a signal to people that carrying a knife or a gun is something you don’t do ever.”David Cameron, Cameron Direct, Tynemouth, 9 January 2009

“First of all, it should be clear that if you carry a knife on the streets of our country and you are caught, you should go to prison.”David Cameron, Cameron Direct, Worcester, 29 August 2008

“My view is the situation with knife crime is so serious now that we need to change the law so that everybody knows that if you are caught with a knife out on the streets you go to prison, because right now a fifth of people that actually get caught with a knife get off with a caution. Now what sort of a message does that send? That sends the message it is a slap on the wrist, and I think just as the Glasgow judge in the case you say back in the fifties sent a very clear message this was unacceptable, so we need to nationwide send a signal that this is unacceptable, and the people who say well this would lead to an enormous increase in the prison population, I don’t think it would because I think we have got to make carrying a knife just completely socially unacceptable, and you can’t do that without a very tough sentence that people can expect to get.”David Cameron, Cameron Direct, Barrow in Furness, 13 August 2008

In their manifesto, the Conservatives promised to “make it clear that anyone convicted of a knife crime can expect to face a prison sentence”.

“Today, almost four out of every five people found guilty of a knife crime escape jail. We have to send a serious, unambiguous message that carrying a knife is totally unacceptable, so we will make it clear that anyone convicted of a knife crime can expect to face a prison sentence”Conservative Party Manifesto 2010, p. 56

They broke their promise: The Government’s came forward with plans to develop a new “community based intervention” for people caught in possession of a knife which set out how only adults caught committing a crime with a knife and juveniles found guilty of serious knife offences could expect to go to prison.

“Any adult who commits a crime using a knife can expect to be sent to prison and serious offenders can expect a long sentence. For juveniles, imprisonment is always available and will also be appropriate for serious offences.“We must do better at intervening before offending reaches this stage. We are developing a new community based intervention that is specifically designed to prevent this kind of violence. This will help to ensure that offenders who are caught in

possession of a knife will face consequences and a response intended to prevent their behaviour from escalating.”‘Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders’ Sentencing Green Paper, December 2010, p. 54

32) Making work pay They promised: David Cameron and Iain Duncan Smith have repeatedly

promised the Government would “make work pay”.

“We’re finally going to make work pay – especially for the poorest people in society.”David Cameron, speech, 17 February 2011, http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/pms-speech-on-welfare-reform-bill/

“We will reform the benefits system to make work pay and reassess the position of people on incapacity benefit, through a single, integrated package of support, to give people the personalised support that they need to find work.”Iain Duncan Smith, Hansard, 14 Jun e2010, Column 583, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm100614/debtext/100614-0001.htm#1006149000693

They broke that promise: Tax credit changes introduced in April 2012 mean some low paid workers are better off on benefits than in work.

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the total household income including working tax credit, child tax credit, child benefit and council tax benefit of a couple working 16 hours a week on the minimum wage living in their own home and paying £1,000 in council tax (a) currently, (b) after changes to qualifying requirements for working tax credit on 1 April 2012 and (c) including out-of-work benefits. [95428]Chris Grayling: On the assumption that this couple has two children:(a) Prior to April 2012, this household would be entitled to working tax credit and they would have income of around £330 per week. This includes around £19 a week in council tax benefit.

(b) In 2012-13, this household would not be entitled to receive working tax credit and would have income of around £257 per week. This includes around £19 a week in council tax benefit.(c) If this household was out of work their income would be around £271 per week. This includes around £19 a week in council tax benefit.The Government are reforming the welfare system through the introduction of universal credit in October 2013. Universal credit is designed to improve financial work incentives. And in this example the couple will be around £95 per week better off working 16 hours a week compared to being out of work.Hansard, 29 February 2012, Column 396W, http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120229/text/120229w0004.htm#12022982001826

33) The bank levy would raise £2.5 billion They promised: David Cameron and George Osborne have repeatedly

claimed their bank levy would bring in £2.5 billion a year. They have also refused Labour’s calls for a tax on bank bonuses, which raised £3.5 billion in 2010-11, to be repeated.

“He talks about the bankers, but it is this Government who have put in place a bank levy that will raise more every year than Labour’s one-off bonus tax raised in one year.”David Cameron, Hansard, 14 December 2011, Column 788-789

“I will tell you what this Government have done, and that is to put in place a £2.5 billion bank levy, raising more than Labour’s bonus tax every single year.”David Cameron, Hansard, 22 June 2011, Column 319

“That is why we introduced a permanent bank levy not just for one year, but for each and every year. In any one year it raises more than the bank bonus tax net, so that is what we have done.”George Osborne, Hansard, 10 May 2011, Column 1028

“That is why he did not want it to be anything more than a one-off tax, and that is why we introduced a much more permanent and sustainable tax on the banks, which the right hon. Gentleman never introduced when he was City Minister. It is a permanent bank levy that raises more net every year than the one-off bonus tax did.”George Osborne, Hansard, 6 September 2011, Column 152

They broke that promise: Figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility show that the bank levy has only been bringing in £1.8 billion in its first two years and the amount it is expected to bring in this year has been revised down by £500 million since March. In contrast, the bank bonus tax raised £3.5 billion.

£ billion2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Labour Bank payroll tax

3.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Tory Bank levy 0.0 1.8 1.8 2.8 2.9 2.8Sources: Office for Budget Responsibility, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, March 2012, Table 4.7, p.101, http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/wordpress/docs/March-2012-EFO1.pdf ; and Office for Budget Responsibility, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, December 2012, Table 4.6, p.113, http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/December-2012-Economic-and-fiscal-outlook23423423.pdf

34) Legislate to give people the lowest energy bill tariffs They promised: David Cameron promised that the Government would

legislate to force energy companies to put consumers on the lowest tariff:

“I can announce, which I am sure the hon. Gentleman will welcome, that we will be legislating so that energy companies have to give the lowest tariff to their customers—something that Labour did not do in 13 years, even though the Leader of the Labour party could have done it because he had the job.” David Cameron, Prime Ministers Questions, 17 October – 2012 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm121017/debtext/121017-0001.htm#12101758000008

They broke their promise: The plan the Government subsequently announced to limit suppliers to four “core tariffs” per fuel and require that suppliers offer just a single price for each of the four tariff types doesn’t guarantee all consumers the best deal. All the Government is really doing is reducing the number of tariffs on offer, and without real reform, there’s nothing to stop the energy companies just putting up the prices of all their tariffs:

Interviewer: “Can you guarantee that everybody will have a cheaper bill as a result?Davey: No I can’t guarantee that”Ed Davey, BBC News, 20 November 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20404659

35) No cuts to public spending in 2010 They promised: Before the General Election the Liberal Democrats

repeatedly stated their opposition to public spending cuts in 2010.

“The IFS is right to point out that cutting spending further this year would be extremely dangerous given the weakness of the economy.”Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat press release, 3 February 2010

“Our working assumption is that the conditions will be right for cuts from 2011-12, but not before.”Nick Clegg, speech to IPPR, 16 March 2010

“I would say this, look, the decision on how we govern this country and how people vote shouldn't be driven by fear of what the markets might do. Let's say there was a Conservative government, right? Let's say a Conservative government announced in that sort of macho way, ‘We're going slash public spending by a third, we're going to slash this, we'll slash this, we're going to do it tomorrow’, because it has to take early tough action. Just imagine the reaction of my constituents in South West Sheffield. I, I represent a constituency that has more people working in public services as a proportion of the workforce than any other constituency in the country, lots of people work in the universities, the hospitals and so on. They have no Conservative councillors, they have no Conservative MPs, there are no Conservative MPs or Conservative councillors as far as the eye can see in South Yorkshire. People like that are going to say, ‘Well who are these people telling us that they are going to suddenly take our jobs away, who are these people who are suddenly they're saying they're going to threaten my local - what mandate do they have? I didn’t vote for them. No one around here votes for them.’ And I just, you know I think if we want to go the direction of Greece, where you get read social and industrial unrest, that’s the guaranteed way of doing it, thinking that the old tub-thumping way of conducting politics is the way that you bring people along with you."Nick Clegg, Yorkshire Post, Question Time event, 19 March 2010

"Do I think that these big, big cuts are merited or justified at a time when the economy is struggling to get to its feet? Clearly not."Nick Clegg, BBC, interview with Jeremy Paxman, 12 April 2010

They broke their promise: Within two weeks of the formation of the Coalition Government the Liberal Democrats were supporting £6bn cuts to take place in 2010.

"It is less than two weeks since the Coalition was formed, and it is testament to our determination to tackle the deficit that we are today able to announce that we are taking the first step to deliver over £6bn of savings across Government this financial year."David Laws, then Chief Secretary to the Treasury, speech announcing £6.2 billion spending reductions, 24 May 2010

36) 3,000 more police officers They promised: In their manifesto, the Liberal Democrats pledged to pay for

an extra 3,000 police on the streets.

“The Liberal Democrats will: Pay for 3,000 more police on the beat, affordable because we are cutting other spending, such as scrapping pointless ID cards.”Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2010, p.72

They broke their promise: The Spending Review announced cuts of 20 per cent to central Government police funding by 2014-15.

"Central government police funding will reduce by 20 per cent in real terms by 2014-15."Spending Review 2010, p. 54

Greater Manchester Police has already announced plans to cut 1,387 officer posts by 2014-15 and West Midlands Police says it expects to make about 2,500 job cuts including 1,000 officers.

“Plans to cut almost 3,000 posts from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have been backed by the police authority.“Members voted to axe 1,387 officer and 1,557 civilian posts between now and 2014/15, a 23% reduction in staff, to save £134m from the force's budget.“Officer numbers will be reduced through natural wastage, a recruitment freeze and forced retirement for those with more than 30 years' service.”BBC News online, 22 November 2010

“The West Midlands force also disclosed it expected to make about 2,500 job cuts as a result of the spending review, including 1,000 officers. It currently employs about 14,000 staff, including 8,500 officers.”Financial Times, 23 November 2010

37) Cutting rail fares each year They promised: In their manifesto, the Liberal Democrats promised to cut

rail fares each year.

“Cut rail fares, changing the rules in contracts with Train Operating Companies so that regulated fares fall behind inflation by 1 per cent each year, meaning a real-terms cut.”Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2010, p. 54

They broke their promise: In the Spending Review, the Government announced that from next year regulated rail fares will increase by RPI plus 3% each year.

“To protect essential investment, some fare increases will be unavoidable. This will include raising the cap on regulated rail fares to three per cent above RPI for three years from 2012, which will support investment in rolling stock, and, subject to consultation, raising the charges on the Dartford Crossing, alongside accelerating plans to improve traffic flow.”Spending Review 2010, p. 46

38) No new nuclear power stations They promised: The Liberal Democrat manifesto rules out a new generation

of nuclear power stations.

“[We will] Reject a new generation of nuclear power stations; based on the evidence nuclear is a far more expensive way of reducing carbon emissions than promoting energy conservation and renewable energy.”Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2010, p. 59

They broke their promise: Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Chris Huhne told his party conference that he would stick to his deal with George Osborne to deliver new nuclear power stations.

“And George Osborne expects me to deliver our agreement on nuclear power, which is that there is an important place for new nuclear stations in our energy mix as long as there is no public subsidy. A deal is a deal, and I will deliver. I’m fed up with the stand-off between renewable and nuclear which means we have neither – we will have both.”Chris Huhne, speech to Liberal Democrat Conference, 21 September 2010

39) A Post Office Bank

They promised: Before the General Election the Liberal Democrats promised the creation of a “PostBank”, to improve access to banking and secure the future of the Post Office.

“Improve access to banking for all with a PostBank, revenues from which will also help to secure the future of the Post Office”Liberal Democrat manifesto 2010, p. 54

They broke their promise: In November, the Government confirmed that a Post Office Bank would not go ahead because it would be "time consuming and extremely expensive".

“The Government is keen for banking to be extended at the Post Office, but has decided against one particular proposal. It has concluded that now is not the right time to create a new state-backed Post Office Bank. Setting up and capitalising a new bank would be time consuming and extremely expensive.”Department for Business, Innovation and Skills press release, 9 November 2010

40) Anonymity for rape defendants They promised: They promised: The Coalition agreement included a

commitment to “extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants”.

"We will extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants."The Coalition: our programme for government, 20 May 2010, p. 24

They broke their promise: After strong opposition, the plans were dropped in July 2010.