Theresa May’s manifesto tries to appeal a large part of the political spectrum, from “mainstream” voters on the centre left to former Ukip supporters now without a home. But is its impact blunted by attempts to do too much?
The prime minister uses the manifesto to close down policy flanks opened by Labour, spending £8 billion more on health and £4 billion more on education in the next parliament.
But will these promises be drowned out by complaints over the abolition of universal free school lunches for infants, failure to give schools real-terms budget increases (budgets will be protected in cash terms only) and the new social care “lottery” which means children will pay for their parents’ care if they are treated at home but