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Labour

 

Labour’s manifesto aims to underpin their assertion that they are the party committed to ‘a future fair for all.’ The themes of the manifesto are in line with the party election pledges secure the recovery, raise family living standards, build a high tech economy, protect frontline services and strengthen fairness in communities.

 

 

 

The Manifesto at a glance...

Economy

  • No income tax increases (beyond the 50p increase for those earning over £150,000 and the bankers bonus tax already in place from 1 April)
  • A commitment not to increase the scope of VAT to include new items (like food)
  • No commitment not to increase VAT headline rates (but when questioned Mr Brown said that the plans in Manifesto are costed not to include a VAT increase)

Employment

  • National Minimum Wage – a new requirement on the Low Pay Commission to increase the minimum wage by at least the level of average earnings in each of the next five years
  • Increased paternity leave entitlement from 2 to 4 weeks
  • Extend right to request flexible working to older people (like grandparents with care obligations to parents or grandchildren)
  • An end to default retirement

Competition

  • A commitment to impose a Supermarkets Ombudsman
  • A new planning protection on shops, pubs..etc to prevent them being converted into other uses and lost to the community
  • The manifesto is extremely positive about the benefits of the Post Office network and the Royal Mail. There are outline plans for a People’s Bank available through Post Offices to make available banking services in communities throughout the country, with a new levy on banks to promote lending as an alternative to high-cost options such as loan sharks.

Crime

  • A new restorative Justice bill to extend the use of ‘community payback’ type sanctions for offenders (although including protections for the victims to be consulted)
  • Police funding is guaranteed for the next three years and new requirements to consult with local people
  • ASBOs – people will have a guaranteed response to a report of ASB within 24 hours, applications for ASBOs will take less than a month and where people are unable to get police support they will be provided with legal support to get their own personal injunction.

Alcohol , Tobacco and Healthy Eating

  • There are no new proposals on alcohol licensing or binge drinking – just a reiteration of the measures taken recently including the restriction on irresponsible pub promotions and the ban on opening between 3 and 6am.
  • The manifesto commits to continue the Change 4 Life initiative.
  • The manifesto contains a general commitment to ‘act to protect children’s health from tobacco, alcohol and sunbeds.