David Cameron claimed the Tories were the “real party of working people” yesterday as he pledged to end windfarm subsidies and ban Scots MPs from English-only votes.
Unveiling the Conservative election manifesto in Swindon, the prime minister heralded the end of the austerity age and the onset of the “good life”.
He promised to take minimum wage earners out of tax, extend the Right-to-Buy to housing association tenants south of the border and double free childcare provision.
“At the heart of this manifesto is a simple proposition. We are the party of working people, offering you security at every stage of your life,” he said.
The raid on traditional Labour territory was made one day after Ed Miliband moved onto the Conservatives’ favoured ground by claiming his was the party of economic responsibility.
Many of the headline manifesto pledges did not apply to Scotland, but a section on extending devolution triggered a fresh row.
“We will give English MPs a veto over matters only affecting England, including on income tax,” it promised, despite several senior Labour figures, including Gordon Brown, previously warning the move could turn Scots into second-class MPs and endanger the Union.
The document also committed the Tories to “continue to support development of North Sea oil and gas”, and to “end any new public subsidy” for onshore windfarms, while maintaining the current size of the armed forces.
After a Conservative campaign that has been criticised as being too negative, Mr Cameron struck a relentlessly positive note in his speech referring 10 times to the “good life” while barely mentioning Labour.
“The next five years are about turning the good news in our economy into a good life for you and your family,” he said.
Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat chief secretary to the Treasury, said: “Their plans for finishing the job of deficit reduction solely on the backs of the poorest and by cutting public services reveal their true colours.
“And that’s not all, the Conservatives are now embarking on an unfunded spending spree that would make even Gordon Brown shudder – which can only be paid for by even more cuts.”
SNP Depute Leader Stewart Hosie said: “On Monday, Ed Miliband devoted just two short paragraphs in his manifesto and six words to Scotland – and the Tories’ big policy idea to go beyond even Margaret Thatcher in housing policy doesn’t apply, thankfully, to Scotland.
“The Tories also plan to exclude Scottish MPs from key votes and issues which directly impact on Scotland – including our funding – demonstrating that as a party they remain deeply hostile to Scottish interests.”
Mr Miliband said: “The reality about the Conservative party is that they are the party not of working people. First, last and always they are the party of the richest in our society and that is absolutely the case with what they are saying today.”