We are now at the interesting stage of the UK electoral cycle when instead of being told what to do those who wish to be in Government must make their pitches to us.

Manifestos are odd things. Those parties who won’t be in government, and at the UK level that includes the SNP, can say almost what they like. Nutty levels of taxation - go for it. Spending promises which will never have to be delivered - lay them on thick.

The parties that think they might be in power have a rather harder task. Although they will later claim that “events” have made some of the things they promised undeliverable, the manifestos of the Conservatives and Labour parties have to contain actual plans.

Unfortunately, though manifestos may contain actual plans, that doesn’t mean these are sensible plans. There is a broad background for Labour of more spending and for the Conservatives of lower taxes but they read like a sweetie shop menu. A series of policies which focus groups say will appeal to some section of the voting public.

Labour worships devoutly at the shrine of the NHS but will also spend more on education and defence amongst other things. They have socialist-pleasing measures such as a spite tax on school fees and a stricter regime of taxation for foreign nationals based in the........

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