Election 2024: Five things we learned from Labour’s manifesto launch
Keir Starmer has launched Labour’s manifesto for government in Manchester today.
The party leader pledged last night in the Sky News debate that there would be “no surprises” in the document.
Here are the five key things we learned from the launch.
No mega tax surprises
Broadly as expected, Labour did not deliver any major surprises on tax.
It reiterated its pledge not to raise VAT, income tax or national insurance.
Corporation tax will be capped at 25 per cent, but Labour says it will close a tax loophole around carried interest, as previously reported.
The party plans to raise around an additional £7.3bn in tax revenue, its costings document confirmed. This includes all previously announced increases —other than £40m from increasing stamp duty by one per cent on non-UK residents buying homes.
Softened House of Lords reform
Labour had previously discussed major plans to abolish the House of Lords, the upper chamber of parliament.
However, the manifesto softens these proposals significantly, with Starmer promising “immediate modernisation” and a mandatory retirement age.
Hereditary peers would have their right to sit and vote in the chamber removed.
But the party says it will still “consult” on proposals to replace it with a modern “alternative second chamber”.
Claiming the centre ground
Labour’s manifesto cemented the party’s move from the left-wing space it occupied under former leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The document highlights commitments to border security, defence, veterans and the nuclear deterrent.
A picture of Starmer with Zelenskyy also features, taken at the D-Day commemorations which Rishi Sunak left early.
And when a protestor briefly interrupted the launch, accusing Starmer of “the same old Tory policies,” he was quick to remind the audience that “we stopped being the party of protest five years ago.”
Consensus on kids’ smoking
Labour has aped Sunak’s promised smoking ban, vowing to “ensure the next generation can never legally buy cigarettes”.
It comes after the party pledged to back Sunak’s bill in Parliament in a bid to create a smoke-free generation and support the NHS.
“Labour will ban vapes from being branded and advertised to appeal to children to stop the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine,” the manifesto said.
But if elected, Labour will likely face opposition in the Commons, including from right wing and libertarian minded Tories.
Workers rights still a future battle
The party has pledged to introduce its legislation on a New Deal for Working People—or workers’ rights reform—within the first 100 days.
However, that does not necessarily mean a new law will be passed by then; it just means it will have been introduced to Parliament.
They say this includes banning exploitative zero hours contracts, ending fire and rehire, and introducing basic rights for day one.
However, firms, big business, and the trade unions have already pulled Labour in opposing directions over this, and the party will likely have a continued fight in government.