Conservative Party's Election Manifesto

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31002, 7 March 1966, Page 16

Conservative Party's Election Manifesto

(N.Z. Press > Association —Copyright) LONDON, March 6. Britain’s Conservative Party announced an election campaign platform yesterday and declared its determination “to break away from the growing constraint of socialism.”

The Conservative leader (Mr Heath) charged that Britain's reputation had declined under the Labour Government's “clumsy and uncertain touch.” The Conservative manifesto, entitled “Actions not Words,” proclaimed itself as a blueprint for a full five-year term as the new British Government in the event of a Conservative victory in the March 31 general election. The policies it outlined concentrated heavily on the domestic front, where opinion polls indicate the 17-month-old Labour Government has

scored with the electorate. Newspaper polls show the Labour Party holding a 9 to 11 per cent popularity edge, enough to win a possible 10seat majority in the House of Commons. The Conservatives beat the Labour Party to the punch by publishing their manifesto only six days after Mr Wilson called the new elections last Monday. It was timed to catch the widely-read British Sunday press. The Labour Party manifesto is to be published tomorrow night. While on domestic issues,

the Conservative manifesto concentrated on offering a more efficient “welfare state” to the voters, there were these key points which reversed existing Labour policy and which were likely to figure among the main campaign arguments: Defence.—The Conservatives undertook to build the new attack aircraft carrier for the Navy. Rhodesia.—The Conservatives urged immediate talks, without any prior conditions on either side, with Rhodesia. Europe.—A strong new bid to get Britain into the Common Market “to exert her full influence in the world” was recommended. Labour.—The Conservatives pledged to repeal the 1965 Trade Disputes Act “so as to help prevent intimidation” and take action to make agreements between unions and employers legally enforceable.