Strong and unstable manifesto?

Just four days after the launch of the Conservative Manifesto, Theresa May has already begun to back track on some of her campaign pledges, so just how strong is the Manifesto?

The so-called “Dementia Tax” was one of the Conservatives more controversial manifesto pledges, but now, just four days after it was announced, and with two weeks until the election Theresa May has pulled a startling U-turn on the subject.

On Thursday Mrs. May claimed that there was no need for a cap on the “Dementia Tax” as opposing parties are calling it and yet today at the launch of the Welsh Conservative Manifesto she seems to have suddenly backtracked and is now saying that there will possibly be a cap.

While on the surface this appears to be a positive move for the Conservative policies, it is both the Prime Minsters reasoning and their prime slogan that suddenly draw causes for concern.

The first and most obvious issue is that this is a government running on the slogan of “Strong and Stable”. Making a sudden U-Turn on policies just four days after announcing them doesn’t reflect their claim of stability, in fact, it makes them seem considerably unstable if their policies can be announced and retracted that quickly, how can they be believed on their other policies?

Furthermore, when Mrs. May was questioned about this U-Turn she claimed that if you look closely at the manifesto “We said we’d issue a green paper, and of course within that green paper we’ll be consulting on the details of the proposals and the principles we have set out.” Indeed the manifesto does say it will be put in a green paper.

“So our forthcoming green paper will also address system-wide issues to improve the quality of care and reduce variation in practice.” page 65 of the Conservative Manifesto.

For those who don’t know, a ‘green paper’ is a consultation document that allows for discussion on issues. The wording in the Conservative Manifesto makes it seem that all the comments they have made regarding elderly and social care are linked in with this green paper. From Mrs. May’s comments today, it appears that the Conservatives promises in this area are in fact malleable and up for large amounts of discussion and therefore there is great potential for this to be an empty promise. If the outlines for the green paper can change in just four days there is a great opportunity for them to change before the paper is published after the election.

A little further reading in the manifesto and on page 72 there is another mention of a green paper, this time in regards to pledges involving children’s and young people’s health. All of the Conservative pledges on these issues are also said to be planned for a green paper before the end of the year, which from what Mrs. May has claimed today may also be malleable promises.

Although the change in policy can be seen as a good one, will that have enough of a positive impact to negate the damage to their Strong and Stable image? Public opinion seems to be in a constant flux for this general election and who can say which way this policy change will sway the voters.