Labour Manifesto 2024

14th June 2024

Following on from the Lib Dems, and the Conservatives Manifestos, on Thursday 13^th June from the COOP building in Manchester, Sir Keir Starmer set out his parties manifesto. We take a look at some of the key points of the manifesto..

He started with outlining Labour’s first steps for change which were announced last month, these are:

• Delivering economic stability – implementing strict spending regulations to stimulate economic growth while keeping taxes, inflation, and mortgage rates as low as possible.
• Cutting NHS waiting times – by creating 40,000 additional appointments each week, funded by cracking down on tax avoidance and closing non-dom loopholes.
• Launch a new Border Security Command – with new specialist investigators using counter-terrorism powers to dismantle criminal boat gangs.
• Set up Great British Energy – a publicly-owned clean energy company based in Scotland, aimed at reducing energy bills and enhancing energy security, funded by a windfall tax on oil and gas companies
• Crack down on antisocial behaviour – with more neighbourhood police funded by cutting wasteful contracts, imposing tougher penalties for offenders, and establishing a new network of youth hubs.
• Recruit 6,500 new teachers – in key subjects to prepare children for life, work, and the future, funded by ending tax breaks for private schools.

Kickstart Economic Growth

The ways in which they pledge to kickstart economic growth, are centered around the below areas:

• Deliver economic stability with tough spending rules
• A new partnership with business to boost growth everywhere
• A National Wealth Fund to invest in jobs
• Planning reform to build 1.5 million new homes
• Devolution of power across England
• A New Deal for Working People

Education

“Break down the barriers to opportunity”

Some of the headline pledges include:

• Recruit 6,500 more teachers for England’s schools – they pledge to transform our education system so that young people get the opportunities they deserve.
• 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries – “High-quality early education and childcare is a crucial opportunity to transform life chances” They will expand childcare and early-years systems, drive up standards, modernise the school curriculum, reform assessment, and create higher-quality training and employment paths by empowering local communities to develop the skills people need.
• Free breakfast clubs in every primary school – to take initial steps to confront poverty by introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school with the aim to support low income families through the cost of living crisis.
• A modern curriculum so young people are ready for work and life – create higher-quality training and employment paths by empowering local communities to develop the skills people need. They aim to put employers at the heart of our skills system.
• High-quality apprenticeships and specialist technical colleges – Labour will transform Further Education colleges into specialist Technical Excellence Colleges. These colleges will collaborate with businesses, trade unions, and local government to offer young people better job opportunities and create a highly skilled workforce to meet the needs of local economies.
• Access to arts, music and sport – Under Labour, the arts and music will no longer be reserved for a privileged few. Labour believes that culture is essential for helping children and young people develop creativity and find their voice. There is immense growth potential in the creative industries, benefiting every corner of the UK.

Housing

“Get Britain building again”

Labour’s housing strategy for the upcoming Parliament targets constructing 1.5 million new homes, ensuring stable mortgage rates, and assisting first-time homebuyers. They will allocate £6.6 billion for energy efficiency initiatives, revamp the planning framework, accelerate brownfield development, and enhance social and affordable housing options. Labour also intends to abolish the leasehold system, enhance building safety regulations, empower Mayors, and introduce a Renter’s Charter to safeguard tenants’ rights.

• Plans to deliver 1.5million homes – “Labour will get Britain building again, creating jobs across England, with 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament”
• Restore mandatory housing targets – They pledge to promptly revise the National Policy Planning Framework to reverse harmful Conservative alterations, including reinstating mandatory housing targets. They will enforce stringent measures to ensure that planning authorities maintain current Local Plans and enhance and fortify the presumption in favour of sustainable development. Labour will assist local councils by financing additional planning officers, achieved by raising the rate of the stamp duty surcharge for non-UK residents and plan to ensure that local communities retain influence over housebuilding in their areas, but, when necessary, Labour will not hesitate to utilise intervention powers fully to meet housing requirements.
• Brown belt and Green Belt Land – Labour will adopt a brownfield-first strategy, giving priority to developing previously used land whenever feasible and expediting the approval process for urban brownfield sites. However, relying solely on brownfield development will not suffice to meet housing demands. Labour remains committed to safeguarding the green belt, which has effectively served England’s towns and cities for many decades. Unlike the Conservatives, who have often released greenbelt land for speculative housing without proper planning, Labour will adopt a more strategic approach to designating and releasing greenbelt land for housing, without altering its purpose or overall extent. They will prioritise the release of lower-quality ‘grey belt’ land and implement ‘golden rules’ to ensure that development benefits both communities and the environment.
• Social and Affordable Housing – Labour pledge they will achieve the largest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. They state they will enhance planning obligations to ensure that new developments include more affordable homes, adjust the Affordable Homes Programme to maximise home delivery within current funding, and assist councils and housing associations in boosting their capacity to contribute more to affordable housing supply. Labour will focus on constructing new social rented homes and safeguarding existing stock by reassessing the elevated right-to-buy discounts introduced in 2012 and strengthening protections for newly constructed social housing.
• Building more high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes – Labour aims for exemplary development to become standard practice, not a rarity. They will take measures to ensure they construct more high-quality, well-designed, and sustainable homes, fostering communities that enhance climate resilience and support nature recovery. They aim to introduce solutions to facilitate the construction of homes impacted by nutrient neutrality while upholding robust environmental safeguards.
• Introduce permanent mortgage guarantee scheme to help first-time buyers – Labour pledge they will collaborate with local authorities to prioritise first-time buyers for home purchases, putting an end to the practice where entire developments are sold to international investors before construction begins. Additionally, they will establish a permanent and inclusive mortgage guarantee scheme to assist first-time buyers who face challenges in saving for substantial deposits, thereby reducing mortgage costs.

Environment

“Make Britain a clean energy superpower.”

Labour state that the climate and nature emergency is the most significant long-term global challenge we confront. The transition to clean energy presents a substantial opportunity to stimulate growth, address the cost-of-living challenges, and restore Britain’s energy independence. That’s why achieving clean energy by 2030 is Labour’s second priority mission.

• Set up Great British Energy to cut bills for good – Labour has pledged to create GB Energy – a publicly owned energy corporation based in Scotland – aimed at producing “clean and affordable domestically sourced energy” for the UK, with an investment of £8.3 billion throughout the next parliament.
• Warm homes plan – The Warm Homes Plan will provide grants and low-interest loans to support investments in insulation and other enhancements such as solar panels, batteries, and low-carbon heating to reduce bills. By 2030 Labour state they will ensure that homes in the private rented sector meet minimum energy efficiency standards, saving renters hundreds of pounds annually.
• Protecting nature – Labour state that despite Britain’s stunning natural landscapes, the Conservatives have allowed the country to become one of the most depleted in terms of biodiversity globally. Labour is committed to championing nature, fulfilling Environment Act obligations, and collaborating with civil society, communities, and businesses to rejuvenate and safeguard our natural environment.

To read the Labour manifesto in full read here..

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