Labour Unveils Ambitious Manifesto with Focus on Education Modernisation

Labour leader Keir Starmer has launched the Labour Party’s manifesto for the 2024 general election today in Manchester, presenting a wide range of commitments in the campaign document. Key elements of the manifesto include plans to build more than a million new homes, the creation of a National Wealth Fund, and the introduction of Great British Energy.

The manifesto is described as fully costed and funded, with a ‘tax lock for working people’ that pledges not to raise income tax, National Insurance, or VAT.

Political economist Will Hutton has praised the manifesto, comparing it to Labour’s transformative policies in 1945, stressing the undisclosed but significant potential for lasting positive change.

The unveiling event showcased the shift in Labour’s message from previous leaderships under Jeremy Corbyn to the current approach led by Starmer, highlighting larger commitments in areas like new spending, taxes, and investment.

Sky News economics editor Ed Conway provided a graphical comparison of financial promises made in the 2024 Labour manifesto versus those under Corbyn’s leadership.

GMB general secretary Gary Smith welcomed the manifesto, emphasizing the potential for transformative change for workers. Meanwhile, Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, called for Labour to enhance its policy platform.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) offered a critical view of the manifesto, highlighting the minimal changes in public service spending promises and tax pledges. The IFS raised concerns about the lack of definite spending commitments amidst diagnosed problems in various sectors

Labour maintains a commitment to preserving England’s green belt zones while aiming to build over a million new homes, urging for a strategic approach in planning urban development.

The manifesto launch drew mixed reactions from Labour’s affiliated unions, with varying degrees of endorsement and calls for more ambitious change. The IFS stressed the need for actual resource allocation to address challenges highlighted in the manifestos.

Starmer affirmed Labour’s dedication to creating a party focused on tangible change, emphasizing hope and rejecting cynicism in British politics. This manifesto, he insisted, is a guiding plan for genuine transformation.

Starmer’s shadow cabinet gathered for a presentation ahead of the manifesto launch, uniting the party’s key figures in anticipation of future change and revitalization.