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.”
A workman saved a seven-year-old boy from a burning car in the aftermath of a deadly crash caused by a suicidal ex-pilot, an inquest has heard.
The schoolboy’s rescue came following the collision on the M6, which killed former RAF man Richard Woods and four others, in October last year.
Last week a coroner ruled that Woods, 40, took his own life by deliberately driving his Skoda the wrong way down the motorway while drunk and hitting a Toyota Yaris head-on.
The driver of the Toyota, Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, was also killed, along with his two sons, Filip, 15, and Dominic, seven, and his partner Jade McEnroe, 33.
Cockermouth Coroner’s Court heard on Thursday that Ms McEnroe’s son was also in the car but survived after workman Gavin Walsh came to his rescue at the scene, which was near Tebay services in Cumbria.
In a statement to the inquest, Mr Walsh said he was a passenger in a transit van travelling to Scotland when he witnessed the crash.
He jumped out of the vehicle and used a jack to smash the rear windscreen of the Toyota and pulled the boy out of the burning vehicle.
Mr Walsh said: “We really did try, I can assure everyone we did our best. We only had minimal time.
“I saved a life that day and I hope never to witness anything like that again.”
He added that he has never stopped thinking about the boy, and said: “I hope we will meet again one day and I will give you a massive hug.”
At the time, the family were returning to Glasgow from a trip to Legoland in Windsor, Berkshire.
The inquest heard that Wood, who was travelling at a speed of at least 65mph, would have been charged with manslaughter had he survived.
Recording conclusions of unlawful killing, Cumbria assistant coroner Margaret Taylor said: “I found that Jaroslaw, Jade, Filip and Dominic died as a consequence of the unlawful acts of another driver.”
The inquest heard how Mr Woods, from Cambridgeshire, had served a distinguished 14-year career in the RAF and was a flight instructor for BAE Systems at the time of his death.
Jade McEnroe. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Dominic and Filip. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
In Ms Taylor’s record of inquest, Mr Woods was said to have been experiencing “a number of stressors in his life” and had a “history of harmful use of alcohol”.
Following the crash, he was found to be nearly four times over the legal drink-drive limit and a two-thirds empty bottle of gin was found in his car.
On the day of his death, concerns had been raised over his behaviour at a work conference near Preston in Lancashire.
Mr Woods failed to return to his seat after lunch and was later spotted driving erratically and swerving across three northbound carriageway lanes on the M6.
After pulling onto the hard shoulder, he then proceeded to U-turn and drove southward on lane three.
Filip, Dominic and Jaroslaw Rossa. Pic: Cumbria Constabulary
Detective Sergeant Deborah Story, from Cumbria Police, told the inquest that Mr Woods would have been prosecuted on four counts of manslaughter had he lived.
She said hypothetical charges of murder were considered by detectives but not thought appropriate because of a lack of information that Mr Woods knew the family or anything that provided a link between them.
Ms McEnroe’s parents, Marie McEnroe and George McNellis, told the coroner they thought it was “murder”.
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A statement from the mother of Filip and Dominic, and the ex-wife of Mr Rossa, Kamila, was read out at the inquest.
She said Mr Rossa, known as Jarek, was born in Poland where they became a couple and went on to have three boys.
He loved playing computer games and had “lots of friends”, she said, and worked at the Wagamama restaurant in Silverburn, Glasgow.
She said she was “devastated” over the deaths, adding: “Our lives will never be the same.
“I am heartbroken at the passing of my beloved angels Filip and Dominic.”
Marie McEnroe said her daughter, a spa therapist, had been in a relationship with Mr Rossa for about two-and-a-half years.
She said Jade had been a “brilliant mother” to her only child, was “really happy” with Mr Rossa and it was “lovely chaos” when all the boys were playing together.
Ms McEnroe added: “Life changed forever that day”.
Ms Taylor praised the “selfless acts of bravery” from those in the aftermath of the collision, including Mr Walsh, who she said went towards the burning car “without hesitation for his own safety”.
The coroner added: “Without his swift response, Jade’s child would also have perished.”
Addressing the bereaved family members, she said: “Your loss is unimaginable but you have conducted yourself with dignity and I thank you for that. I wish you strength for the future.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
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