Boris Johnson is planning to put childcare at the core of his manifesto

The Conservatives are preparing to offer free childcare to all two-year-olds in their election manifesto, Boris Johnson has hinted, although he is expected to shelve social care reforms.

The party is considering plans to give parents of younger children 15 hours of free childcare a week in one of its biggest election giveaways at an estimated cost of £700 million.

Mr Johnson said yesterday that affordable childcare was the “holy grail” and the manifesto would look at the “ages at which it should be funded”.

Senior Tories said there was a discussion about the best approach, with ministers also considering cheaper plans to extend the present 30 hours of free care a week for children aged three and four from 38 weeks a year