Cameron’s flagship policy was that of ‘The Big Society’, which aims to empower local people and communities and remove some power from the government, as the party believes that Britain has become ‘over-governed’. This would strengthen Parliament, give local communities a greater say on housing and schools, and abolish regional quangos and identity cards.
On the subject of the economy Cameron aims to put economic stability and fiscal responsibility ahead of promises to cut taxes. However, in order to reduce the deficit and
build a recovery based on real growth and investment the party has recognised tax cuts will only be possible if public spending grows more slowly than the economy. For this reason they have proposed limited reductions in corporation tax and tax breaks for married couples. They have also cut income tax for 25 million people.
Their aim to reduce money spent in all areas also encompasses the cap on benefits, which George Osbourne announced at the recent party conference. He aims to cut the benefit budget by £10 billion over two years, by reducing the amount people can claim.
This ties in with the Conservative party’s new stance on the Welfare State. They believe that people who work hard and do the right thing should be rewarded, and that no-one should receive more in benefits than the average family can in work. This is part of their ‘welfare to work’ scheme, in which they aim to increase the involvement of families, voluntary bodies and businesses in welfare provision, as the default mechanism for tackling social problems should not be state action.
Conservative attitudes on crime have also changed, as shown by Camerons 2006 ‘Hug a Hoodie’ speech. This shows that they wish to understand the culture that created criminal behaviour rather than just blame the young people themselves. They aim to help those that have been involved in crime become rehabilitated, whilst still being harsh on those who repeatedly re-offend, by changing laws on sentencing and replacing automatic release with earned release, ensuring justice is done and victims are compensated.
by
angrygaze (student)
