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Conservative party billboard van overturns in the wind overturns on M6

Van was delivering message about Brexit while driving along M6

Wednesday 07 June 2017 08:19 BST

Nobody was injured in the accident, but it did cause delays on the motorway (Police handout)

Social media users mocked the Tories' "strong and stable" slogan after a party advertising van overturned on a windy motorway.

Nobody was injured in the accident.

The van, which displays the words, "For the best Brexit deal vote Conservative on 8th June", turned on its side as it was driving north along the M6 between Lymm and Woolston.

Motorists consequently faced long delays, a 30 mile-per-hour speed limit was put in place and emergency services attended the scene.

Highways England was made aware of a fuel spillage by the accident.

After it was clear that there were no injuries, as reported by the Warrington Guardian, Labour councillor Faisal Rashid added: "It seems as though the fate of this wagon is telling us all something!

"Clearly it is neither strong nor stable and is a symbol of Theresa May and the Tories' weak and wobbly campaign."

Theresa May defends her 'strong and stable' soundbite in Andrew Marr interview

People on social media were also keen to make jibes at the Conservatives.

"Oh god this is too perfect - a 'strong and stable' Tory ad van that had been driving round town blew over on the motorway," tweeted one user.

"May's weak and wobbly campaign's crashed, an overturned Tory 'best Brexit deal' Ad Van shutting the M6. It's a sign!" said another.

Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Show all 7

1/7Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Brexit

Theresa May has made extremely clear that she would take the country out of the single market and the customs union, but will seek a new “deep and special partnership with the EU.” Not being in the single market would allow the UK to take control of the roughly 40 per cent of overall immigration that comes from EU countries, but business groups have warned it poses a significant risk to the economy. It is not clear what a “new deep and special partnership would mean” and Angela Merkel, among others, has been clear that non EU-members cannot have a preferential set of trading arrangements than members.

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Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Immigration

Theresa May remains committed to the target of reducing immigration to the”tens of thousands” and will not remove students, who tend to go home at the end of their studies, from the figures. It will also raise the earnings threshold for immigrants who wish to sponsor visas for their partners and other family.

PA

Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

The Economy

The Conservatives would seek to increase the national living wage to 60 per cent of median earnings by 2020 The manifesto promises to introduce an “energy tariff cap” to protect the most vulnerable customers, but wants to maintain a “competitive element” within the energy market The deadline of eliminating the deficit by 2015 is, of course, long gone, but the 2025 commitment to do so is in place. The manifesto also ditches old plans not to increase national insurance or income tax. Balancing the budget by 2025 is highly likely to require one or the other to happen, or both.

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Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Tax

The manifesto raises the tax personal allowance to £12,500 and the higher rate to £50,000 by 2020, meaning a large proportion of the population will pay less income tax It will also introduce legislation that would force local councils to offer a referendum before making major council tax increases. It is very hard to imagine any such referendum ever resulting in the required raise. In marked contrast to Labour, the party is committed to lowering corporation tax yet further, to 17% by 2020. This low figure is considered crucial to attracting investment to the UK in the wake of the Brexit vote. From 2020, the pensions “triple lock” would be replaced by double lock, meaning pensions would rise in line with whichever is higher of inflation or earnings, but the minimum 2.5 per cent rise would go.

Getty/iStock

Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Housing

The manifesto commits to building 1m homes by the end of 2020 and 500,000 more by the end of 2022, but all similar targets by Labour, Conservative and coalition governments have been missed, and there is little in the way of detail on how to achieve it. New social housing would come with fixed terms for tenants, which the automatic right to buy after 10 to 15 years occupancy.

Shutterstock

Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Fracking

The Conservative manifesto sets out clear plans to develop the fracking industry, compared to Labour who seek to ban it.

PA

Should I vote Tory? May's biggest policies explained

Defence and foreign policy

The Conservatives are committed to meeting Nato targets of 2 per cent GDP spending on defence It would retain Trident, and spent £178bn in new military equipment over the next decade, including the new Astute class of hunter-killer submarines Theresa May has placed considerable emphasis on the “special relationship” with the US, which could prove crucial in a future US/UK trade deal. But the UK’s longstanding foreign policy position, of being, in effect, America’s representative in Europe, will come to an end, arguably in symmetry with America’s standing on the global stage.

PA

A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: "At 10.10am this morning police received a report of an overturned van on the Thelwall viaduct M6 northbound.

"An advertising van had overturned as it crossed the viaduct blocking a lane. No one appears to have been injured.

"There is disruption to traffic in the area and it is advised to use alternative routes until the carriageway is clear."

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Show all 9

1/9Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Brexit

Labour is committed to leaving the European Union but would have different negotiating priorities to the Conservatives. It has said it would have a “strong emphasis” on staying in the single market and the customs union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and leading figures in Brussels have been unambiguous that membership of the single market is impossible without free movement.

PA

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Immigration

The party would drop “bogus immigration targets” but move to a managed system of migration favoured by many leave voters. It has said this “may include employer sponsorship, work permits, visa regulations or a tailored mix of all these”.

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Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

The Economy

Labour’s manifesto commits to balance government spending with the amount raised by taxation, which can mean little more than significant tax increases. The greatest burden will fall on higher earners but they cannot meet demand on their own. It has also promised to bring rail companies back in to public ownership and cap fares. The party would also renationalise Royal Mail. It also promises a “transition” to publicly owned energy.

Peter Byrne/PA

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Tax

No one earning under £80,000 would pay any more in national insurance or income tax. It would raise corporation tax, from the current low of 19p to 26p. This higher rate would still be a competitive internationally, but the government is currently fighting hard to attract business in the wake of Brexit and they say a low corporation tax rate is crucial. Labour would also lower the top, 45p income tax threshold to £80,000. In theory, this could raise £7bn, but only if higher earnings did not decide to move abroad.

Reuters

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

NHS

Labour has promised more money for GP services, free hospital parking for patients, staff and visitors, and to take a million people off NHS waiting lists by guaranteeing treatment within eighteen weeks. These promises will be expensive to keep, and there is no certainty that the party’ s commitment to raising taxes on higher earners, increasing capital gains tax and reversing cuts to corporation tax will be enough to meet the need.

PA

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Education

The party has pledged to abolish university tuition fees and reintroduce maintenance grants and give free school meals to all schoolchildren.

PA

Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Housing

Labour’s manifesto commits to building 1m new homes, and would introduce controls on rent rises for private renters. It would also scrap the so-called bedroom tax.

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Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Environment

Labour would ban fracking, but, crucially, also supports new nuclear projects. It would also introduce a new Clean Air Act to deal with illegal air quality

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Should I vote Labour? Corbyn's biggest policies explained

Defence

Its manifesto says it is committed to the NATO target of 2 per cent spending on defence. It is also committed to the renewal of Trident, even though Jeremy Corbyn has spent a lifetime campaigning against it.

AFP/Getty Images

Ms May has urged voters to choose Conservatives to "strengthen her negotiating hand" when it comes to two years of talks over leaving the European Union.

In most polls her party has a significant lead over Labour, despite the lead narrowing over the past seven weeks.

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