Greens unveil £177bn wish-list

THE Green Party would abolish new road building and increase public spending by a fifth to pay for a vast wish-list of commitments, its manifesto revealed yesterday.

Green leader Natalie Bennett pledged to raise tens of billions in new taxes, including a wealth tax, a 60p higher rate of income tax and imposing VAT and fuel duty on aviation.

Launching the 84-page manifesto in trendy Dalston, East London, she said it amounted to a ‘peaceful political revolution’.

Proposed policies include protections for the ‘nomadic lifestyle’, a promise to ‘ensure respect for everyone’, and adopting an approach of ‘defensive defence’ while abolishing the Trident nuclear deterrent. The age of criminal responsibility would be raised from ten to 14, cannabis and other drugs legalised, and there would be an amnesty for illegal immigrants here for three years or more.

But questions were raised over whether the hikes in taxes on the richest would raise anything like the billions promised. Even manifesto author Brian Heatley admitted the plans were based on ‘a lot of estimation and judgment’.

The proposals would see public spending go up by £177billion a year by the end of the Parliament. A new tax would charge anyone with £3million 2 per cent of their wealth, and top earners would pay 60p in the pound. Corporation tax would go up to 30 per cent from 20 per cent, the fuel duty escalator would be restored and capital gains tax allowances abolished.

The party promises to scrap the £15billion major roads spending programme, bring in a ‘Citizen’s Pension’ of £180 a week for single OAPs and £310 for a couple, and hugely increase spending on health, social care and social housing.

Foreign aid spending would rise by another £6billion a year, child benefit would double, tuition fees would be abolished and pupils would be treated to organic school dinners.

Other policies include a promise to end the use of nuclear and coal power stations, ban fracking, and find £45billion to pay for home insulation. The railways and major utilities would be renationalised and there would be a ban on all animals in circuses, fur imports, and cages for rabbits and hens in farming.