国际英语新闻：Britain's Conservative Party launches election campaign

Costs would be cut in central government by 2 billion pounds a year (about 3 billon U.S. dollars); save a billion pounds (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) by cutting government-set up bodies, called quangos (quasi autonomous non-governmental organization); save 12 billion pounds (about 18 billion U.S. dollars) a year with a cutback in recruitment, and renegotiated contracts and a freeze on large, new IT projects.

Other headline polices included a form of national service for 16 year olds; powers for employee-led co-operatives to bid to take over the services they run; raising the inheritance tax threshold to 1 million pounds (about 1.5 million U.S. dollars).

In the National Health Service (NHS) the Conservatives said they would increase the powers for doctors and nurses, by decentralizing power, and allow patients to choose any healthcare provider that meets NHS standards, within NHS prices.

For schools and education the manifesto pledged to increase inspection of failing schools, and lower inspection of successful ones; to create 20,000 new apprenticeships and 10,000 new university places; to allow communities to set up their own schools and to improve the quality of teachers by raising the threshold of acceptable qualifications.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown reacted to the Conservative manifesto launch by saying "there is a complete hole in the center of the Conservative manifesto.

"There is nothing in it to help the recovery. Indeed their measures would put the recovery at risk," Brown said. "They are saying you are on your own. They are leaving people on their own to face the recession."

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said "Cameron seems to think he should inherit power rather than earn it. It is a manifesto of style over substance. You can't trust the Conservatives when they want to give tax breaks to double millionaires not tax breaks to everybody else."

Britain's ruling Labour party launched its manifesto "A Future, Fair for All", on Monday. Key pledges in the manifesto included a pledge not to increase taxes.

The third party in British politics, the Liberal Democrats, will launch its manifesto Wednesday. The Liberal Democrats may play a key role after the general election.

Opinion polls show that both main parties currently may not have enough support to form a majority government, and would be forced to cut a deal or form a coalition with other parties, and the Lib Dems would then be in a strong position.

All three party leaders are set to make history Thursday with the first live televised debate between party leaders in British political history.

The debate, which will be held in the north of England and focus on domestic policy, is one of a series of three in the run-up to the general election.