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Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled the long-awaited Labour manifesto outlining the key policies for his plan to deliver “create more wealth”, including raising £8.6 billion in new taxes.
With his jacket off and sleeves rolled up, he pledged to make wealth creation the “number one priority”, with a leadership that is “pro-business and pro-worker” in an effort to win over disaffected Tory voters angry at a flatlined economy under prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Sir Keir warned voters that “challenges don’t disappear overnight if Labour wins” as he claimed the manifesto he was presenting today was not a quick fix but a “long-term plan” for change.
Labour’s pledges include keeping tax inflation low, curbing NHS waiting lists, implementing a border security command, creating Great British Energy and cracking down on antisocial behaviour.
But the Tories have slammed the manifesto labelling the fiscal policies a “tax trap”, with the Mr Sunak branding it the “highest taxes in history”.
Labour manifesto at a glance
NHS and healthcare: Cut waiting lists, 40,000 more NHS appointments each week, ban branded vapes, double cancer scanners numbers, 8,500 additional mental health staff, bring back the “family doctor”, create new “Dentistry Rescue Plan”.
Economy: £1.8bn to upgrade ports and build supply chains, £1.5bn to new gigafactories, £2.5bn to rebuild the steel industry, reduce energy, food and house prices.
Foreign policy and defence: Keep Nato committment, recognise Palestinian state, rebuild UK-EU relationship, mantain current support to Ukriane.
Energy, environment and climate: Set up a new Great British Energy to “cut bills for good”, £1bn to accelerate the deployment of carbon capture, £500m to support the manufacturing of green hydrogen, £6.6bn investment to energy efficiency in homes.
Tax, pay pensions and benefits: No increase to National Insurance, income tax or VAT. Raise £8.6bn in tax revenue by closing non-dom loophole, status will be abolished. Corporation tax capped at the current level of 25 per cent.
Housing: To build 1.5m new homes over the next five years. Deliver the “biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation”
Immigration: Create new Border Security Command to crackdown on small boats and people smugglers. Labour also vowed to “reduce net migration”.
Crime: Introduce a new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee to restore patrols in local communities.
Education: Recruit 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects. Free breakfast clubs. High-quality apprenticeships and specialist technical colleges.
Watch: Ed Davey undergoes makeover and struts down catwalk for live interview
Ed Davey undergoes This Morning makeover and struts down catwalk for live interview
Sir Ed Davey was given a makeover and strutted down a catwalk during an appearance on This Morning on Thursday, 13 June. The Liberal Democrat leader appeared on the programme to discuss his party’s manifesto with hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard ahead of the general election in July. Sir Ed was dressed a fedora hat, suit, and sunglasses, prompting Deeley to compare his walk to the “Blue Steel” modelling facial expression featured in comedy film Zoolander. The party leader has been taking part in various stunts throughout his campaign, such as paddleboarding and riding a waterslide.
Watch: Keir Starmer launches Labour Party’s general election manifesto
Climate and energy campaigners welcome Labour’s £13.2bn net zero investment
The independent climate and energy think tank E3G has praised Labour’s pledge to create a publicly-owned energy company and net zero investment plans.
Campaigns Director Ed Matthew said: “UK dependence on fossil fuels has driven the cost-of-living crisis and undermined our energy security. This manifesto will kick start a mission for energy independence and economic renewal, with net zero investment at its heart.
“Labour has recognised that upgrading our homes will be key; and we welcome the £13.2bn investment boost, and reinstatement of higher efficiency standards in the private rented sector. This manifesto gives hope that the UK’s leadership in tackling the climate crisis will finally be restored.”
Starmer is speaking from Cheshire
Sir Keir Starmer has headed out to Cheshire to reaffirm his manifesto pledges among voters after the big launch.
The Labour leader vows to be “pro-business and pr-worker” with a plan to end the “chaos and division” after the Liz-Truss mini-budget.
He told the audience that they have a choice between “carrying on with the chaos and division” or “vote for Labour and turn around the page”.
Starmer ‘ready to deliver change’
Economists: Labour ‘relief’ for markets but Tories ‘risk’ for the British pound
Economists and investment experts have giving their veredict on how would the market react to the Tory and Labour proposals.
A chief of FX at investment platform Saxo has predicted that a large stable majority for Sir Keir Starmer could bring further GBP resilience, while a Conservative win, or even a Labour minority government, could “signal a weak policy framework” and bring “risks for the British pound”.
Charu Chanana, has said: “A Labour win could be positive for the pound, given their pro-growth stance and the potential to maintain smoother EU-UK relations.
“However, spending concerns could limit room for gains given the lack of fiscal space. A Conservative win, or even lack of a Labour majority, could signal a weak policy framework and risks for the British pound.”
Head of equity Peter Garnry added: “As we saw with the unfunded tax cuts in 2022 it caused a run on the pound and significantly increased the volatility in UK gilts which sparked a crisis in the UK pension system.”
Labour ‘undermining its own credibility’, says Institute for Government
The think tank has criticised the Labour party and said the manifesto should have done more to prepare voters for “difficult trade-offs”.
Programme director Nick Davies said Sir Keir Starmer “acknowledges the scale of the challenges facing public services” but he has not offered big enough soultions.
Mr Davies said: “Oppositions understandably only focus on detailed policy development once they are in government, but the manifesto should have done more to prepare the public for difficult trade-offs that will be required.”
Dr Gemma Tetlow, the chief economist at the IfG, added: “Like the Conservatives, Labour has done little to row back on the spending cuts already pencilled in for the next parliament.
“This, coupled with its pledge not to raise any of the main taxes, undermines the credibility of its promise to address failing public services.”
Farage asks why his Labour opponent likes ‘drinking the tears of white people’
Nigel Farage has hit back at Keir Starmer’s jibe that Clacton is a “pantomime” by demanding he takes action against Labour’s candidate there for an anti-white comment, David Maddox reports.
During his manifesto launch, Sir Keir addressed the fact that he was not revealing any “rabbits out of the hat” with no new policies revealed. He said: “If you want politics as pantomime, I hear Clacton is nice this time of year.”
The Reform UK leader’s team has unearthed a now deleted social media post from 2019 by Labour’s Clacton candidate Javon Owusu-Nepaul agreeing with a US student’s post about racism.
The original post read: “Going into 2020 I’m going to continue to be vocal about how to tackle racism and the fact I drink white man tears on a regular basis.” Mr Nepaul replied to the post saying: “My favourite drink”.
According to official statistics, the Clacton constituency in Essex has one of the highest white populations in the UK, with 93 percent registered as white British. This compares to a UK national average of 82 percent white and 89 percent in the county of Essex.
Mr Farage said: “If Starmer thinks that the race in Clacton is a pantomime, perhaps he should look no further than his own candidate.” He added: “I’m shocked that this man is an official candidate for a Labour Party that says it has changed”
In the last election Labour came second with 6,736 but a long way behind Tory MP Giles Watling who had a majority of 24,702. But this time Mr Farage believes he can take the seat from the Tories although the election will see nine candidates standing in the constituency.
Labour have declined to comment.
Source: independent.co.uk
