Yahoo News Theresa May promises 'good solid conservatism' in Tory manifesto
Theresa May has promised a "mainstream government that would deliver for mainstream Britain" as she pledged money for schools, cuts to pensioner benefits and an overhaul of the social care system.
In a clean break from the David Cameron years, Mrs May abandoned his promise not to raise income tax or national insurance; ask elderly people with over £100,000 in assets to pay for social care and end the triple lock protecting pensioner's incomes by 2020.
She also delayed his deficit reduction plans - saying the Tories would balance the books by the middle of the next decade - some 10 years after the pledge was initially made.
Launching her manifesto in the North West Labour seat of Halifax, Mrs May said she wanted to build "a great meritocracy" and pledged to tackle the "five great challenges" facing Britain.
:: Tory manifesto: What it says, what it means
Mrs May restated her determination to get a good Brexit deal for Britain, but said her manifesto also addressed the challenges of building a strong economy, tackling social division and meeting the pressures of an ageing society and fast-changing technology.
While acknowledging Britain was facing its most challenging period in 60 years, she said she wanted to build "a country where all that matters is the talent you have and how hard you're prepared to work."
In a brazen pitch to Labour voters, the Prime Minister announced a further £4bn of funding for schools.
She also took aim at better-off pensioners as she pledged to means test the winter fuel allowance and ask pensioners with more than £100,000 in assets to pay for their social care - be that residential or at home.
Under the new plan, no one would be forced to reduce their assets below £100,000 to pay for social care, or be forced to sell their home to pay their care bill while they were alive or their partner lived there.
Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, denied it amounted to a "death tax", insisting that it was right that the assets you build up over your life should be used to pay for your care.
Mrs May said part of being a leader was making tough decisions and said it was necessary to find a long-term solution to social care as she defended a policy that might well upset her traditional voter base.
Mrs May also sought to appeal to UKIP voters - she hopes their support will take her to victory in dozens of Labour held seats across the UK - with tough talk on immigration as she reiterated her commitment to getting immigration down to the tens of thousands.
It comes after former chancellor George Osborne revealed this week - via a leader in the Evening Standard - that not one of her senior Cabinet ministers supported the policy.
Mrs May also announced that she would introduce levies on businesses who want to employ foreign workers, while reiterating her touch stance on the EU, insisting again that she was prepared to walk away with no deal.
Using the manifesto forward to "reject the cult of selfish individualism", Mrs May said her version of "true conservatism means a commitment to country and community; a belief not just in society but the good government can do."
But she later denied that this manifesto was a recasting of conservatism in the image of her political philosophy as she insisted "there is no Mayism".
"I know you journalists like to write about it, but there is good solid conservatism which puts the interest of hard working people at the heart of everything we do in government," she said.
Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May's manifesto "betrayed" millions of pensioners.
The Labour leader said: "She is hitting older people with a classic Nasty Party triple whammy: scrapping the triple lock on pensions, removing the Winter Fuel Allowance and forcing those who need social care to pay for it with their homes.
"The Conservatives' record is one of broken promises and failure.
"They promised to raise living standards, but working families are set to be on average over £1,400 a year worse off.
"They promised to improve all standards of NHS care, but A&Es are in crisis. They promised to protect school spending, but schools are facing crippling cuts and class sizes are soaring.
"You can't trust a word Theresa May says."
:: And don't forget to watch it on Sky News: The Battle For Number 10 on Bank Holiday Monday 29 May at 8.30pm.
