Which key policies will be left out of the Conservative manifesto?

Keen to know what the future holds if Boris Johnson wins the election? Don’t expect the manifesto to provide the answers, writes Rob Merrick

Expect a lack of clarity on EU migration, social care and student loans (Getty)

The launch of the manifesto is always a huge day in any general election campaign as a party’s key plans for the future are unveiled – but not this time, it seems. The evidence is growing that the Conservative manifesto will contain more holes than a Swiss cheese, with mystery shrouding what Boris Johnson intends to do in a lengthening list of policy areas.

It has long been clear that voters will have to wait until long after Brexit day to find out how we will trade with the EU, given his “deal” covers the divorce terms only.

But prepare for similar head-scratching over what the future holds for migrants from the EU, for the elderly and vulnerable requiring social care, for students fearing a lifetime of debt.

The last first. You may remember a report for Theresa May warning that teenagers from poorer backgrounds are being deterred from going to university and calling for annual fees to be cut from £9,300 to £7,500?

The outgoing prime minister pleaded for a second recommendation – bring back maintenance grants for low-income families – not to be allowed to gather dust.

But the dust is already gathering, after there was no bill in the Queen’s Speech and a senior Tory briefed that a “general election is not the time” to stir that difficult pot.

Labour has already vowed to scrap fees altogether, so a pledge of a modest cut would reap no political benefit – while provoking protests of universities being starved of cash.

Then there is the social care crisis, which we know the health secretary wants to rescue with a ring-fenced tax on all workers over the age of 40.

But, if you think a party whose last campaign was wrecked by the furore over the “dementia tax“ is going to go into the next one proposing a new levy, don’t be so naive.

Matt Hancock said the Conservatives are “working on a plan”, but quickly added: “We are not ready to publish it yet.”

That slipperiness was topped by the home office minister who refused to say if immigration will be lower after Brexit – despite that being a central promise of the Leave campaign.

Victoria Atkins then cheerfully admitted her party was only about to “start having these debates about what we want our immigration policy to look like”.

Now, the 1987 Tory prospectus barely mentioned the poll tax and the 1970 version said it would “negotiate, no more” about whether to join the then European Economic Community – which the UK promptly did only two years later.

So, there is nothing new about manifestos obscuring what is to come – but this pre-Christmas one is shaping up to be a proper Secret Santa.