Green Party manifesto pledges four-day working week and universal basic income

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox

Get our free View from Westminster email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

The Green Party has launched its manifesto for the 2017 general election, pledging a move towards a four-day working week and the introduction of a universal basic income.

At this election the Greens are targeting the seat of Bristol West, where they are the bookies’ favourite. They also hope to do well on the Isle of Wight where they came second to the Tories in local council elections.

They will also be looking to retain their stronghold of co-leader Caroline Lucas’s Brighton Pavilion seat. The party had a good night in local council elections earlier this month, increasing its haul of seats in its target areas.

But the party has struggled in national opinion polls, with recent surveys failing to show an uptick in their vote share from 2015. In some areas the party has stood down so as not to split the the progressive vote.

The party's manifesto says it will “take steps towards the introduction of a universal basic income, including a government-sponsored pilot scheme, as a means to increase security and avoid the poverty trap”.

It will also pledge to “phase in a hour day working week”, which it says would amount to “a maximum of 35 hours” of working time.

A universal basic income is an unconditional payment to all adults regardless of whether they are in work or not. Proponents of the policy say it should either replace or complement the existing benefits system.

Speaking at the launch of the party’s manifesto in London, Ms Lucas said: “We face challenges that we can’t possibly pretend to fix in 100 days or even 1,000. Threats to our economic future and our security. Threats to the planet.

“But by working together and standing up for what matters we can change the course of history.

“While other parties ignore the environment, Greens will protect it.

“We will transform people lives with bold policies like a basic income and shorter working week. We will protect the NHS and roll back privatisation.

“We will defend free movement and we will give the British people an explicit option to remain part of the EU as part of a ‘ratification referendum’ on the Brexit deal. This election is about our country.”