In a pre-election pitch of its political ambitions, Labour has revealed six election pledges, which include economic growth and strong border control.
These include delivering economic stability, cutting NHS waiting times, launching a new Border Security Command, setting up a publicly-owned clean power company, cracking down on antisocial behaviour and recruiting thousands of new teachers.
Labour’s commitments are “fully costed, fully funded and ready to go,” Sir Keir said.
“No gimmicks. No sticking plasters. My changed Labour Party will roll up our sleeves, do the hard graft and deliver for Britain,” he added.
Policies
Labour wants to cut NHS waiting time by delivering 40,000 more appointments and paying doctors and nurses overtime rates. This will be funded by cracking down on tax avoidance and closing the “Tory non-dom loophole,” Sir Keir said.
The tax policy for UK residents holding a non-domicile status was taken over by the government in one of the biggest Spring Budget surprises.
A loophole in the policy will allow foreign assets, put in an overseas trust before the April 2025 deadline, to be permanently excluded from inheritance tax.
Labour criticised the policy and said it will “will benefit some of the wealthiest people in Britain.”
Another contentious issue—cracking down on illegal immigration—has been the Conservatives’ flagship policy, ahead of the upcoming general election.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is determined that small boats carrying illegal immigrants to British shores will be stopped by the government’s Rwanda scheme. Labour, however, said that if it comes to power, it will replace the Rwanda policy and instead create a new multi-agency Border Security Command to tackle people smuggling gangs.
Under Labour plans, immigrants who have arrived in the UK illegally since last March will be entitled to claim for asylum.
The opposition also pledged to deliver economic stability with strong fiscal rules.
Taking a dig at the former Conservative leader Liz Truss, Labour vowed it would “never repeat the mini budget that sent mortgage rates soaring.”
Pledges and Missions
The six Labour pledges come on the back of five national missions, the party outlined last year. Sir Keir vowed to strengthen the economy, make Britain a clean energy superpower, improve the NHS, create safer streets and improve opportunities for all citizens.Prior to winning the party leadership race in 2020, he campaigned to deliver on ten issues, some of which have since been dropped by Labour.
The party moved on from pledges to scrap tuition fees, nationalise public services and ensure freedom of movement after Brexit.
Reacting to the new pledges on Thursday, the Conservative Party wrote on social media platform X: “Keir Starmer’s 4 years as Labour leader: 10 pledges, 5 missions and 6 new pledges later, you still can’t trust a word he says.”
The Tories also questioned Sir Keir’s statement that he has changed Labour to better serve the working people.
“They are the same old Labour who’d take us back to square one with no plan to secure Britain’s future,” said Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden.
Currently, Labour enjoys a 44 percent lead in opinion polls over Conservatives with 19 percent. But according to the opposition, it wants to convince the voters to choose Labour for Labour, and not because they have lost confidence in the Conservatives.
