The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, , will launch the
Northern Ireland Conservative manifesto today (Saturday
29th June) in Belfast.
The Northern Ireland Conservative manifesto will re-commit to the
Conservatives' UK-wide plans to introduce:
- A guarantee not to raise income tax, national insurance or
VAT
- A tax cut for workers, cutting National Insurance by £1,350
for the average worker
- An ambition to abolish National Insurance for workers
completely when financially responsible to do so
- A tax cut for the self-employed, abolishing the main rate of
National Insurance completely
- A tax cut for pensioners with the new Triple Lock Plus to
protect pensioners from paying income tax on the State Pension,
unlike Labour's Retirement Tax
- A tax cut for parents by moving the threshold to pay High
Income Child Benefit Charge for single-earner families to
£120,000, up from £60,000 currently – unmatched by
Labour
- A workplace pension guarantee not to introduce any new taxes
on pensions or increase existing ones for the whole of the next
Parliament – unmatched by Labour
- A pledge to stop the boats and cut immigration by removing
illegal migrants to Rwanda and introducing a legal cap on
migration to guarantee that numbers will fall every
year
The Conservatives will go further to deliver for the people of
Northern Ireland by:
- Delivering £3.3 billion of extra funding to stabilise public
services
- Agreeing a new fiscal framework to reflect the different
level of need in Northern Ireland
- Continuing to invest directly in local areas across Northern
Ireland
- Implementing all commitments in the Strengthening the Union
Command Paper
- Supporting the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and
Information Recovery to provide answers for victims and
survivors
- Backing Northern Ireland's economy to succeed
- Continuing to uphold all three strands of the Belfast (Good
Friday) Agreement
Launching the Northern Ireland Conservative manifesto in Belfast
today, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, , will say that that the
Conservatives want Northern Ireland to “remain a full and
integral part of our great Union” and that “this commitment is
not just a matter of policy, but a deep-seated conviction”. He
will also extol the benefits of Northern Ireland's place in the
Union:
“As a part of our great Union, Northern Ireland has become a
great place to live, work and invest in. It boasts a highly
educated and talented workforce, a competitive labour market, and
lower costs than many other major competitors.
“The region benefits from excellent connectivity and
infrastructure and is home to two world-class universities with
strong links to business and innovation. The Northern Ireland of
today has a thriving creative sector, and Belfast is the world's
top city for FinTech investment.
"Unemployment today stands at 2.2 percent – the lowest of any UK
region – compared with just over 7 percent when Labour last left
office in 2010. These are not just statistics; they reflect
real progress and a brighter future for Northern Ireland.
“And part of that positive progress is the Windsor Framework
Agreement, reached in February 2023, and the restoration of the
power-sharing Executive in February 2024. As the Conservative and
Unionist Party, we will always support the agreements and
institutions that underpin the more peaceful and prosperous
Northern Ireland we see today.”
Commenting on the Northern Ireland Conservative manifesto, the
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, , said:
“Northern Ireland is an integral part of our United Kingdom, and
our manifesto outlines our clear plan to continue taking bold
action to deliver a safer, more secure, more prosperous future
for its people.
“The milestones we have achieved together, from the Windsor
Framework to the restoring of power-sharing, demonstrate our
unwavering commitment to Northern Ireland's place in our Union,
its prosperity, and its stability.
“A vote for the Conservative and Unionist Party on 4th July is
not only a vote to deepen the precious bonds that unite us but a
vote to build on Northern Ireland's economic success as we cut
taxes for working people, protect pensions with our Triple Lock
Plus, and lower immigration.”
