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xManifesto commitments for children ahead of General Election
Date: 24th June 2024
Category:
General measures of implementation, General principles
With the General Election set for 4th July 2024, this article looks at what commitments the main political parties have made for children and young people in their manifestos launched to date.
The manifestos vary in their explicit commitment to children's rights, but many parties have used the opportunity to state their dedication to improving children’s lives, including through the alleviation of child poverty, improving child health and education. This article explores some of highlights but is not intended to be comprehensive.
Children’s rights in Scotland are affected by the exercise of both devolved and reserved powers. In some instances, parties have also launched a Scotland-specific manifesto.
Labour
The UK Labour Party addresses significant issues affecting children and young people, particularly education reform, increased access to childcare, online safety, and healthcare access.
If elected, Labour says it “will develop an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty” but does not commit to scrapping the two-child benefit limit. Labour commits to upholding human rights and international law and promises to remain a member of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Labour says it would lower the voting age to 16 in UK elections, and would protect and enhance devolution. It commits to strengthening Scottish democracy and championing Scotland both domestically and internationally. On “wholly devolved” issues, Labour says it will support the Scottish Government to partner with international bodies where “relevant and appropriate”.
Conservative and Unionist Party
The Conservative and Unionist Party sets out plans to introduce mandatory National Service for all school leavers at 18 new measures to cap migration into the UK, and a move to a ‘household system’ for Child Benefit “so families don’t start losing Child Benefit until their combined income reaches £120,000”.
For England and Wales, the Conservatives say they will introduce a ban on mobile phones in schools in an effort to improve online safety, introduce varying hours of free childcare per week, and increase the number of places for children in care while prioritising keeping families together where that is best for the child.
Green Party manifesto
The Green Party manifesto outlines plans to: increase investment in health and social care for children; lower the voting age to 16 in UK elections; increase benefits such as disability benefit and carers allowance; abolish the two-child benefit cap to tackle child poverty; end the ‘hostile environment’ approach towards refugees and asylum seekers; and plans for greener homes and schools.
The Green Party says it is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and will defend the Human Rights Act.
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats’ commitments include plans to ensure greater access to GPs; abolish the two-child limit and benefit cap to tackle child poverty; establish “mental health hubs for young people” in every community; Incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into UK law and develop a digital strategy to enable care users to live ‘tech-enabled’ lives.
The Liberal Democrats also commit to lower the voting age to 16 for UK elections
- Read the full UK Liberal Democrats manifesto here
- Read the Scottish Liberal Democrats manifesto here
Scottish National Party (SNP)
The SNP manifesto urges the UK Government to adopt Scotland’s approach by incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law.
Other commitments include to: strengthen human rights protections for all; deliver 14 benefits, seven of which it says are new and only available in Scotland; devolve Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance to tackle child poverty; and to abolish the two-child benefit cap and the associated rape clause.
The manifesto commits to ensuring the timely enforcement of the Online Safety Act to protect children from online harm.