The general secretary of the Socialist Labour Party, Arthur Scargill, unveiled his party's manifesto yesterday.

Plans include abolition of the monarchy, a ban on private schools, scrapping of VAT and renationalisation of almost everything.

Pensions would be linked to earnings, troops would be withdrawn from a united Ireland and money spent on nuclear power would go to the NHS.

The national minimum wage would be raised to £7 an hour and those earning over £100,000 would be taxed at 60 per cent.

Scargill said that the manifesto was "a very moderate one".

"We believe it is extremely reasonable," he said.