Green Party reveals election manifesto as it pledges to "mend broken Britain"
The Green Party have pledged to support health, housing, transport, workers and the green economy, with some reference to SMEs, within their election manifesto, but no mention of business rates.
With ideas including a four-day working week, plans to build new homes and insulate existing ones, and water and energy firm nationalisation, the political party's manifesto details various pledges ahead of the general election on 4 July.
The plans would be financed by tax changes – mainly on wealthier people – such as a rise in National Insurance to 8% on people earning over £50,270, as well as a 1% wealth tax on assets over £10 million and 2% on over £1 billion.
Another inclusion is the promise of a carbon tax at an initial rate of £120 per tonne, rising to a maximum of £500 per tonne of carbon emitted within ten years, to "encourage businesses to decarbonise".
Under a section titled 'Creating a Fairer, Greener Economy', the pledges also include regional mutual banks set up to drive investment in decarbonisation and local economic sustainability, as well as £2 billion per year in grant funding for local authorities to help businesses, particularly SMEs, decarbonise.
"Small and medium-sized business are the lifeblood of our economy and our communities," the manifesto reads.
A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium said: "With no plan for business rates, the apprenticeship levy, or retail crime, the Green Party manifesto simply ignores the most pressing issues facing retailers today."
Other pledges include an increase on the minimum wage to £15 an hour, regardless of age, with the costs to small businesses offset by reducing their National Insurance payments.
It also mentions a £12.4 billion investment in skills and training, equipping workers to "play a full role" in the green economy.
"It will take MPs prepared to make brave, principled choices on your behalf. And it will take the kinds of policies set out in this manifesto, for which elected Green MPs will fight hard every single day for you," said Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, Co-leaders of the Green Party.