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Michael Gove is justice secretary. That's not even the most terrifying thing the Tories will do

Michael Gove is justice secretary. That's not even the most terrifying thing the Tories will do

Michael Gove, the former education secretary and chief whip, has been appointed Justice Secretary in the new Conservative government.

In the role Gove will oversee efforts to abolish the Human Rights Act, which effectively enshrines the protections in the European Convention on Human Rights, such as the right to life and right to a fair trial, into law.

Here are some other things that will happen under the new majority Tory government.

1. Right-to-buy will be extended

Before the election the Conservatives announced plans to expand Thatcher's flagship policy to housing associations tenants, a move that was described by National Housing Federation chief David Orr as "genuinely stupid". "Of all the daft ideas I've heard in a career in housing, this is the daftest," he added.

2. Welfare will be cut by £12bn

Cameron has previously announced plans to cut housing benefit for under 21 year olds who claim Jobseekers' Allowance, but the full extent of where these cuts will come from is still unclear. The Sunday People reports some of this cash will be raised by expanding the Bedroom Tax, and hours after the election, the DWP said it was examining a scheme that would help disabled people get back to work.

3. There will be further cuts across the board

The Independent's Whitehall editor Oliver Wright reported on Saturday that the new government plan to cut spending at the Department of Business and the Department of Energy and Climate Change, departments previously run by the Lib Dems.

4. The Snoopers' charter is coming back

A Bill that would give the government more surveillance powers - known as the Snoopers’ Charter - is now back on the agenda, according to Theresa May. It is thought the legislation would force British internet service providers to retain large amounts of data about their customers which would be available to the government and security services

5. And inheritance tax will be cut

Before the election, the Conservatives proposed cutting inheritance tax by raising the threshold to £1million. They also proposed increasing the threshold under which people pay 40p tax to £50,000.

6. Workers' rights could be under threat

As i100.co.uk previously reported, the Lib Dems stopped the Tories from reducing the employment rights of workers, but now the government is set to slash business regulation, merge regulators and cut costs.

7. As could the NHS

Oliver Wright reports:

Having won the election the Tories now have a mandate to go further and faster reforming the NHS. In order to make cost savings there is likely to be greater private involvement in running services, while some hospital smaller hospitals may loose services they currently provide like A&E and maternity units.

Feeling depressed? This may help:

More: What's in the Human Rights Act Cameron wants to scrap

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