The Conservative manifesto landed this week, so now all three main parties have set out their stalls. There is now a clear choice for voters going to the ballot box on 12 December. But let鈥檚 be frank 鈥� business leaders will be scrutinising Boris Johnson鈥檚 pledges more closely simply because he has the best chance of winning power: two weeks from election day, the Tories are polling above 40% of the vote.
>> Read: General election 2019 - what are the main parties promising construction?
Undoubtedly there are some eye-catching promises for the construction industry from Labour and the Lib Dems. Jo Swinson claims there will be 拢130bn extra capital investment over five years if she gets into No 10, while Jeremy Corbyn鈥檚 party wants to splash out 拢150bn on a 鈥渟ocial transformation fund鈥� over five years and 拢250bn on a 鈥済reen transformation fund鈥� over a decade.
Johnson鈥檚 spending splurge is not on the same scale but the new fiscal rules announced by the chancellor this month mean public sector net investment can rise to 3% of GDP. Construction clearly stands to benefit from this loosening of the purse-strings.
Overall, the Conservatives say they will spend 拢100bn on infrastructure, which includes 拢2bn to fill potholes and another 拢29bn for roads, as well as the promise to build a new rail line linking Manchester and Leeds, and the roll-out of full-fibre broadband.
We are told a breakdown of the allocations will appear in the National Infrastructure Strategy set to be published alongside the next budget.
Investment aside, you cannot escape the fact that the Tories鈥� overwhelming message is 鈥淕et Brexit done鈥�. The 64-page manifesto uses the phrase 24 times. What this actually means is that Johnson, if he wins a majority, will push his deal through parliament and leave the EU in January. He says he will then negotiate a trading agreement within a year, refusing to extend the implementation period beyond December 2020.
In his view, taking us out of the customs union and single market in this way will 鈥渦nleash Britain鈥檚 potential鈥�. Others, of course, believe a hard Brexit will do the exact opposite.
Chlo毛 McCulloch, editor, 黑洞社区
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