Yahoo News Five things you need to know as Labour makes plans for power
Keir Starmer today launched the Labour manifesto, promising an "immediate repair job on Britain" if his party is to win the general election.
Speaking at the Co-op headquarters in Manchester with his party enjoying a substantial lead in the polls, the leader of the opposition unveiled a manifesto called 'Change', which is built around Labour's "five missions to rebuild Britain". They are: "to kickstart economic growth, make Britain a clean energy superpower, take back our streets, break down barriers to opportunity and build an NHS fit for the future."
After being heckled by a protester who held a banner that said “Youth Deserve Better” and criticised the Labour leader for his policies, saying that young people were being let down by the Labour Party, Sir Keir responded by saying "we gave up on being a party of protest five years ago, we want to be a party in power.”
WATCH: Keir Starmer heckled by protester as he launches Labour manifesto
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That interruption aside, it was business as usual for Sir Keir's Labour Party. He promised “stability over chaos, long-term over short-term, an end to the desperate era of gestures and gimmicks and a return to the serious business of rebuilding our country”.
Here, we look at five key points from the manifesto launch.
A Hillsborough law
The manifesto showed that Labour has committed to bringing in a Hillsborough Law, which has been campaigned for on Merseyside for some time.
The new law includes a number of measures to try and stop other people from being treated like the Hillsborough families were as they fought against the establishment for truth and justice following the disaster in 1989.
The law would enforce a requirement of authorities and organisations who are responsible for public safety to tell the truth, preventing these groups from withholding or spreading false information. This is also known as a legally enforceable duty of candour.
Under the law, not only would public authorities and servants be required to tell the truth, but they would be required to proactively assist investigations, inquests and inquiries. This would prevent a repeat of the lies of police officers and others that came after the 1989 disaster as those in power wrongly tried to blame the Liverpool fans.
On top of this, a Hillsborough Law would ensure victims and families have equal representation and receive public funding for lawyers from the start of any proceedings, something the Hillsborough Families did not have. Other measures include a code of ethics for public authorities and the creation of an independent public advocate to support bereaved families after disasters.
Sir Keir, who has faced criticism from some in Liverpool for his decision to write in The S*n newspaper following its disgraceful coverage in the wake of the 1989 disaster, first committed to the new law at the Labour conference in this city in 2022.
He has repeatedly pledged to bring in the new law, most recently reaffirming his position on the 35th anniversary of the disaster in April of this year.
The manifesto states: "Under the Conservatives, too many victims of historical injustices have had insult added to injury by years of legal delays. Without justice and truth, victims and their families cannot move forward. Labour will right this wrong, act on the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry and respond to the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry and the Covid-19 Inquiry, to ensure swift resolution."
As expected
There was no headline new policy announcement in the manifesto. As expected, Sir Keir has prioritised stability and not over-promised on policy, citing the economic situation his party would inherit.
The manifesto brings together announced policies and Sir Keir's 'missions', which will be his priorities in power.
Labour's existing big policies - namely the creation of a publicly-owned green energy company Great British Energy, a pledge to cut NHS waiting times, recruiting 6,500 more teachers, cracking down on anti-social behaviour and delivering economic stability - form the six 'first steps' it promises to deliver in government. Labour says these are fully costed and will be delivered without increases in rates of income tax, national insurance or VAT.
However, the party says it will raise £7bn in taxes, citing three routes:
the removal of tax relief from private schools
the crackdown on non-doms tax breaks for the very wealthy
a windfall tax on the excess profits of the oil and gas companies.
Labour says the money to deliver its policies will come through economic growth and those tax rises.
A Council of the Nations & Regions
In order to "clean up politics and return it to the service of working people", the manifesto says Labour will "reset" central government's relationship with devolved institutions, such as the Liverpool City Region.
The manifesto pledges that Labour in government will establish a new Council of the Nations & Regions. This will bring together the Prime Minister, First Ministers of Scotland and Wales, First and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, and the Mayors of Combined Authorities, including the Liverpool City Region's Steve Rotheram.
The hope is that this will give regions such as ours a stronger voice on the national stage.
Business on board
Economic growth is at the heart of Labour's manifesto - as it has been with the party's messaging for some time now. The party's image is firmly pro-business and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has frequently used her previous work at the Bank of England as evidence that she would be able to work with business to deliver the growth that Labour is counting on to deliver its policies.
The manifesto confirmed Labour would cap corporation tax at 25% until the next parliament as it looks to underline that pro-business stance. It also unveiled a raft of plans to support small firms, including reiterating aims to overhaul business rates and help level the playing field between online and high street retailers.
The party says it wants to represent both business and workers and has made no apology in courting big business under Sir Keir's leadership. That was front and centre at today's manifesto launch as Iceland supermarket boss Richard Walker made the second speech of the day.
Mr Walker, a former Conservative donor, backed Sir Keir for Prime Minister at the start of the year. He is quoted in the manifesto as saying: "Labour’s plan for the economy is good news for my customers and colleagues in high streets across the country. Labour will bring stability, good jobs and higher living standards. As a business leader, I am sick and tired of chaos under the Conservatives.
"I am absolutely convinced that Keir Starmer is the leader to deliver the change this country needs. Labour will end division, strengthen our communities and protect the environment. That’s why I’ll be voting Labour and I urge you to do the same.”
As it courts business, Labour is counting on growth and wealth development to woo former Tory voters and to fund its policy agenda.
Fighting from the centre
This is a changed Labour Party from Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Sir Keir has made that clear in recent days, describing Rishi Sunak's manifesto for this election as "Jeremy Corbyn-style".
Sir Keir's approach is markedly different from his predecessor - Labour's manifesto was criticised from the left of the Labour Party. The Momentum campaign group said its commitments “fall short of what is needed”, arguing that measures to scrap the two-child benefit limit and renationalise the water industry should have been included.
Asked whether 'Change' was a cautious manifesto, Sir Keir said: “It is a serious plan for the future of our country.”
He added: “I’m not going to do what Rishi Sunak does, which is offer things that he can’t deliver because they’re unfunded. People have had too much of that, they’re fed up with that.”
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