Labour launches manifesto as Sir Keir Starmer pledges to end political ‘pantomime’ and ‘rebuild Britain’
Sir Keir Starmer has promised to “end to the desperate era of gestures and gimmicks” with a “credible” long-term plan from Labour to “rebuild our country” – if they win the election on 4 July.
There were no surprises at the party’s manifesto launch in Manchester, with the leader sticking to the “five missions” for government he set out last year, rather than revealing new policies.
But Sir Keir made no apology for it, rejecting a question by Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby, who asked whether it was a “Captain Caution” manifesto designed to protect Labour’s poll lead.
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“I’m not going to do what Rishi Sunak [has done in the campaign], which is to offer things that he can’t deliver, because they’re unfunded,” he said. “People have had too much of that and fed up with that.
“This is a serious plan, carefully thought through. It is not about rabbits out of the hat, it’s not about pantomime, we’ve had enough of that. I’m running as a candidate to be prime minister, not a candidate to run the circus.”
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The theme ran throughout his speech as he defended the lack of new policy, despite the looming general election.
Pointing to the seat where Nigel Farage is running to become an MP, he told the audience: “If you want politics as pantomime, I hear Clacton is nice this time of year.”
But, after a brief interruption from a protester – who Sir Keir told, “we gave up on being a party of protest five years ago, we want to be a party of power” – he spent much of his time focusing on Labour’s missions, namely:
• Kickstarting economic growth
• Making the country a clean energy “superpower”
• “Taking back our streets” by halving serious crime
• “Breaking down barriers to opportunity” with reforms to childcare and education
• Building an NHS “fit for the future”.
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Sir Keir Starmer was interrupted by a heckler as he launched the Labour manifesto in Manchester.
The Labour leader said the pledges “remain at the core” of his 131-page manifesto, adding: “If they are to offer hope and clarity through these times, if they are to show, despite the hard road, the light of the certain destination, then we must keep to that road, no matter the short term ebbs and flows of politics, even in a campaign.
“That is what mission-driven government means. A chance to stop us bobbing along until the next crisis blows us off course and instead make sure we can keep going through the storm.
“Stability over chaos. Long-term over short-term.”
Sir Keir reiterated his party’s “first steps” for government – again a plan Labour announced before the election was even called, but one he is determined to stick to.
They include a pledge to deliver “economic stability”, to cut NHS waiting lists with 40,000 more appointments a week, to crackdown on anti-social behaviour with more neighbourhood police and to recruit 6,500 new teachers.
These sit alongside promises of a new border security command to tackle small boat crossings in the Channel, and setting up the publicly-owned Great British Energy company.
“Labour’s first steps for change are a down payment on our long-term plan for the country – an immediate repair job on the damage that has been caused under 14 years of Conservative chaos and decline,” he said.
“We know we can’t wave a magic wand and pretend that everything will be fixed overnight… [but] they are the first steps towards our long-term plan.”
Other policies in the manifesto include “tough new spending rules to allow businesses to plan”, as well as a cap on corporation tax of 25% and promises of industry investment.
However, the party also commits to its “new deal for working people”, including better childcare, better pay, and help for people to get back into employment, with Sir Keir saying Labour was both “pro-business and pro-worker”.
They also promise to overhaul planning rules with a new 10-year infrastructure strategy for rail, road and to build 1.5 million homes, as well as reiterating plans to “shift power away from Westminster” by giving new responsibilities to regional mayors.
Sir Keir also doubled down on his pledge not to raise taxes on working people after much rumour around his plans for power.
“This is an issue of conviction,” he said. “I don’t believe it’s fair to raise taxes on working people when they’re already paying this month, particularly with a cost of living crisis.
“So let me spell it out. We will not raise income tax. We will not raise national insurance. We will not raise VAT. That is a manifesto commitment.”
Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to raise Israel’s bombardment of Gaza with Donald Trump during his UK state visit, after a UN Commission said a genocide was taking place.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey used the president’s arrival on Tuesday night to call for action on the escalating situation, as Israeli forces advance in Gaza City.
Sky News analysis has found thousands of families remain in the city’s crowded tent camps, despite a ground offensive beginning yesterday.
Sir Ed, who is boycotting the state dinner being held for Mr Trump, said Sir Keir must “press” the president now.
He said: “What is happening in Gaza is a genocide. And the president of the United States, who wants a Nobel Peace Prize, is doing nothing to stop it.”
Displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza. Pic: AP
On Tuesday, a United Nations Commission agreed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza – the first time such an explosive allegation has been made publicly by a UN body.
Israel‘s foreign ministry said it “categorically rejects this distorted and false report” and called for the commission to be abolished.
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Is Israel committing genocide?
‘We cannot be bystanders’
Reports suggest the situation will be a talking point between Sir Keir and Mr Trump during his visit.
It comes before the UK is due to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly later this month, along with allies including Canada and France.
In a late night statement, Canada’s foreign ministry described the Gaza City offensive as “horrific”.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed added: “We have long said that Hamas is genocidal and condemned them for their actions.
“Now, I think we have to say that what the Netanyahu government is doing amounts to genocide.”
Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, a former shadow minister, also called on her party leader to make discussing the situation in Gaza with Mr Trump a “top priority”.
Speaking to Sky News’ Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, she said: “We say ‘never again’ when we look at Bosnia and Rwanda, but here we are again, and it’s been livestreamed, and we’ve all seen it.
“We cannot be bystanders to a genocide.”
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‘We cannot be bystanders’
UN report pulls no punches
The accusation of genocide is made by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
It alleges Israel has been “killing Palestinians or forcing them to live in inhumane conditions that led to death; causing serious bodily or mental harm, including through torture, displacement and sexual crime; deliberately imposing inhumane conditions, and fourthly, imposing measures intending to prevent births”.
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Earlier this month, the International Association of Genocide Scholars also passed a resolution stating that Israel’s conduct passed the threshold of committing genocide.
However, a report from the British government said it had “not concluded” that Israel intended to “destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group”.
Nearly 65,000 people are now believed to have died, according to figures collated by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
Downing Street has insisted its migrant returns scheme with France is not a “shambles” after the High Court blocked a man’s deportation.
Having seen the previous Conservative government’s Rwanda scheme run into trouble with the courts, the Labour administration’s alternative suffered its own setback on Tuesday.
An Eritrean man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was due to be on a flight to France this morning.
He brought a legal claim against the Home Office, with lawyers acting on his behalf saying the case “concerns a trafficking claim”.
They also said he had a gunshot wound to his leg, and would be left destitute if he was deported.
The Home Office said it was reasonable to expect him to have claimed asylum in France before he reached the UK in August, but the ruling went in his favour.
Mr Justice Sheldon granted the man a “brief period of interim relief”.
While the judge said there did not appear to be a “real risk” he would face destitution in France, the trafficking claim required further interrogation.
He said the case should return to court “as soon as is reasonably practical in light of the further representations the claimant […] will make on his trafficking decision”.
A Number 10 spokesperson downplayed the development, insisting removals under the deal with France will start “imminently” and ministers are not powerless in the face of the courts.
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‘One in, one out’ deal: What do we know?
‘We told you so’
The pilot scheme was announced to much fanfare in July, after Emmanuel Macron made a state visit to the UK.
Sir Keir Starmer had hoped the agreement – which would see the UK send asylum seekers who have crossed the Channel back over to France in exchange for migrants with links to Britain – would prove more resilient to court challenges than the Tories’ Rwanda plan.
He wants the number of migrants being returned to France to gradually increase over the course of the scheme, to deter them from coming in small boats.
The pilot came into force last month and is in place until June 2026.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch was quick to say “we told you so” following Tuesday’s court decision, while Reform UK’s Nigel Farage criticised the government’s plan.
Mr Farage – who has said he would deport anyone who arrives in Britain illegally – said: “Even if the policy worked, one in, one out, and with another one in, still means plus one for everyone that crosses the Channel.”
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Migrant deal with France has ‘started’
The small boats crisis represents one of the biggest challenges for the new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, following her promotion in Sir Keir’s recent reshuffle.
Speaking to Sky News’ Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, Labour peer Maurice Glasman backed her to deliver.
Describing the former justice secretary as “very tough”, he said: “She’s completely for real. I’ve known her for over 10 years – she really wants to see law and order restored.”
The UK has discussed adopting a more crypto-friendly approach with the US in a bid to boost industry innovation and attract more investment to Britain.
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