Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

the independent debate

Join The Independent Debate and tell us the biggest issue informing your vote this general election

From Brexit to the cost of living and from healthcare to immigration there are a number of recurring talking points dominating the campaign – but which one matters most to you?

Wednesday 19 June 2024 07:00 BST
Comments
Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer holds a card detailing his policy priorities at the launch of the Labour Party election campaign ‘Battle Bus’ in Uxbridge
Labour Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer holds a card detailing his policy priorities at the launch of the Labour Party election campaign ‘Battle Bus’ in Uxbridge (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

It won’t be long before the UK goes to the polls to decide who their next prime minister should be.

In the build-up to July 4, we have seen vigorous campaigning from all parties as they vie for votes up and down the country.

All the large parties have now released their election manifestos, laying out their vision for the future of Britain.

Labour wants to add 20% VAT to private school fees, to pay for 6,500 extra teachers in England’s state schools. The party also aims to build 1.5 million new homes in the next five years and says it will restore plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.

Meanwhile, part of Rishi Sunak’s plan to get people onto the property ladder is a resurrection of the Help to Buy scheme, which would provide first-time buyers with an equity loan of up to 20% towards the cost of one of these new homes.

The Conservative Party’s manifesto also pledges to abolish National Insurance for the self-employed, implement tougher sentences for offences including knife crime, grooming and assaults against retail workers, and underlines the plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda, saying there will be a “regular rhythm of flights every month.”

Two of Reform UK’s core five pledges also involve migration. The party says it would freeze non-essential immigration, but concedes there would be exceptions with work in healthcare considered essential.

The Liberal Democrats plan to introduce free personal care in England, similar to the system that operates in Scotland where people needing help with daily tasks do not have to pay.

While each party passionately puts forth its case to the electorate, it is ultimately down to voters to decide what – and who – they think will take the country forward.

We want to know the issues that matter the most to you in this general election campaign. Will you be swayed most by a party’s stance on Brexit? Or is an iron-clad plan to tackle the rising cost of living your number one priority?

Share your thoughts by adding them in the comments — we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.

All you have to do is sign up and register your details — then you can take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.

Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here.

Join the conversation with other Independent readers below.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in