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Michael Howard launched the Conservative party’s election manifesto today pledging discipline in schools, controlled immigration and more police on the streets, writes Clare Jerrom.

Under a Conservative government, asylum seekers’ applications would be processed outside Britain and an overall annual limit would be set for the number of people coming to Britain, including a fixed number of asylum seekers.

The Tory leader also outlined plans for flexible childcare and school discipline, claiming a Conservative government would reform the system to “increase choice, flexibility and support for working families”.

All working families who qualify for the working tax credit would receive up to £50 a week for each child under the age of five and an extra £15 billion a year would be provided for schools by 2009-10.

Howard said: “A Conservative government will put the right values at the heart of our education system. We will ensure proper discipline in schools by giving heads and governors full control over admissions and expulsions.”

“Instead of disrupting the education of others, difficult pupils will be given the chance to get their lives back on track in special Turnaround Schools,” he added.

The Tory leader promised that a Conservative government would spend the same as Labour would on NHS, schools and international development and more than Labour on police, defence and pensions.

He pledged 5,000 new police officers each year and said Labour’s early release from prison scheme would be scrapped and 20,000 extra prison places would be provided.

However, the Tories would freeze civil service recruitment, remove 235,000 “bureaucratic posts” and abolish 168 public bodies, saving £12 billion a year by 2007-8. Howard said £4 billion of the £12 billion would be used to cut taxes in its first budget.