Labour Party Launches Manifesto At Hospital Opening In Birmingham
There were some questions over whether they were allowed to do this due to electoral rules, but Labour say the hospital is not yet NHS property as the developers are due to hand it over in the next few weeks.
Gordon Brown and members of the Cabinet appeared on stage to answer questions from the press. The manifesto was presented in front of an audience of Labour supporters who booed some of the journalists asking questions, including Nick Robertson from the BBC and the journalist from The Sun. While it may have made good theatre, it did little for Labour’s image.
Anyway, enough of the manifesto launch, what does the manifesto say:
Labour have pledged not to raise the basic, higher and top rates of tax for the whole of the next Parliament, and will not extend the scope of VAT to food, children’s clothes, books, newspapers and public transport fares. There is no mention or guarantee of no VAT rises.
On public spending there will be tough choices to obtain £15 billion in efficiency savings in 2010/11. and a further £11 billion of savings in 2012/13
Public sector pay rises to be capped at 1% for 2011/12 and 2012/13 with tougher caps on high earners. £1 billion to be saved on public sector pensions.
Any central Government appointment with a salary over £150,000 can only go ahead with ministerial approval.
A range of work incentives will deliver £1.5 billion savings on benefit payments
£20 billion to be raised from asset sales by 2020.
A new bank bonus tax, reduced tax relief on pensions for high earners, a 50p tax rate on earnings over £150,000 and a 1p rise in National Insurance Contributions (all of these measures have already been announced in the Chancellor’s budget)
Halve the financial deficit by 2014.
Create a new fund, UK Finance for Growth, to provide £4 billion capital for growing businesses.
Create a Green Investment Bank to invest in low carbon infrastructure.
Turning Northern Rock into a mutual financial institution (effectively turning it into a building society).
Ensure at least 2Mb broadband for all (using wireless and satellite broadband where necessary) and provide high speed broadband to the majority of the population.
Companies will be required to have a two-thirds majority of shareholders voting in favour of a corporate takeover before it can go ahead.
Labour will support university research through the Higher Education Innovation Fund, and through the development of a new University Enterprise Capital Fund. The proceeds will flow back into the
higher education sector
Economic growth expected to create 1 million jobs by 2015.
Introducing a Small Business Credit adjudicator (a measure announced in this year’s budget)
There is a commitment to build the new high speed rail line to link London to Birmingham, Manchester, the East Midlands, Sheffield and Leeds, and then to the North and Scotland.
Electrify the Great Western Main Line from London to South Wales and complete the new east-west Crossrail line through London.
Ensure rail travellers always have access to the lowest fare for their journey and triple the number of secure cycle storage spaces at stations.
Extend the use of hard shoulder running on motorways
Ensure there are 100,000 electric vehicle charging points throughout the UK by the end of the next Parliament.
Labour say they are in favour of a third runway at London Heathrow airport but will not allow additional runways at any other UK airport for the term of the next Parliament.
Encourage the creation of more employee owned companies based on the model of the John Lewis partnership.
Create 200,000 jobs through the future jobs fund, with a job or training place for young people out of work for six months, or anyone who has been out of work for two years. Benefits will be cut for those who refuse to take part.
A National Minimum Wage rising in line with average earnings, and a new £40 a week Better Off to Work guarantee.
No stamp duty on house purchases under £250,000 for two years, but stamp duty of 5% on houses over £1 million.
A People’s Bank at the Post Office.
A clampdown on interest rates for doorstep and payday loans.
The claims of 1.5 million people on Incapacity Benefit to be reassessed by 2014.
For people with disabilities who want to work there will be a guarantee of supported employment after two years on benefit.
Local authorities will be targeted to build 10,000 council homes a year by the end of the next Parliament.
Second mortgages to be regulated by the FSA.
Child Trust Fund will be protected. There will be an extra £100 per year paid into the Child Trust Funds of disabled children.
Expansion of free nursery places for two year olds and 15 hours a week of flexible, free nursery education for three and four year olds.
Every pupil leaving primary school secure in the basics, with a 3Rs guarantee of one-to-one and small-group tuition for every child falling behind; and in secondary school, every pupil with a personal tutor and a choice of good qualifications.
Zero tolerance policy of anti social behaviour by children at school.
Legally binding guarantees for patients including the right to cancer test results within one week of referral, and a maximum 18 weeks wait for treatment or the offer of going private.
Preventative healthcare through routine check-ups for the over-40s and a major expansion of diagnostic testing.
More personal care, with the right in law to choose from any provider who meets NHS standards of quality at NHS costs when booking a hospital appointment, one to one dedicated nursing for all cancer
patients, and more care at home.
The right to choose a GP in your area open at evenings and weekends, with more services available on the high-street, personal care plans and rights to individual budgets.
Access to psychological therapy for those who need it.
Provide the funding to maintain police and PCSO numbers with neighbourhood police teams in every area. These teams will spend 80 per cent of their time on the beat visible in their neighbourhood.
Improve police performance through online police report cards and
ensure failing forces are taken over by the best.
Intervene earlier to prevent crime, with no-nonsense action to tackle the problems caused by 50,000 dysfunctional families.
Guarantee fast and effective action to deal with antisocial behaviour, including a right for repeat victims to obtain legal injunctions, funded by the police or council who let them down.
Expand tough Community Payback schemes for criminals who don’t go to prison, giving everyone the right to vote on they do to repay their debt to society.
Control immigration through an Australian-style points-based system, ensuring that as growth returns we see rising levels of employment and wages, not rising immigration, and requiring newcomers to earn
citizenship and the entitlements it brings.
Make full use of CCTV, DNA databases, and introduce the national ID card scheme.
More help for parents to balance work and family life, with a ‘Father’s Month’ of flexible paid leave.
A new Toddler Tax Credit of £4 a week from 2012 to give’more support to all parents of young children – whether they want to stay at home or work.
The right to request flexible working for older workers, with an end to default retirement at 65, enabling more people to decide for themselves how long they choose to keep working.
A new National Care Service to ensure free care in the home for those with the greatest care needs and a cap on the costs of residential care so that everyone’s homes and savings are protected from care charges after two years in a care home.
A re-established link between the Basic State Pension and earnings from 2012; and help for ten million people to build up savings through new Personal Pension Accounts.
Registered Supporters Trusts enabled to buy stakes in their club bringing mutualism to the heart of football.
Ensure that the 2012 London Olympics are delivered on time and on budget, to the highest standards.
Operational independence for major museums and galleries, with more lottery funding returning to the arts, sport and culture after 2012.
Protection for the post offices and pubs on which community life depends.
The BBC’s independence will be upheld
Achieve around 40 per cent low-carbon electricity by 2020 and create 400,000 new green jobs by 2015.
Make greener living easier and fairer through ‘pay as you save’ home energy insulation, energy-bill discounts for pensioners and requiring landlords to properly insulate rented homes.
Move towards a ‘zero waste’ Britain, banning recyclable and biodegradable materials from landfill.
Link together new protected areas of habitat; maintain the Green Belt; increase forest and woodland areas.
Ensure fairness for food producers through EU reform and a Supermarkets Ombudsman; and support post offices, shops and pubs in rural communities.
Referendums to be held on the same day, for moving to the
Alternative Vote for elections to the House of Commons and to a democratic and accountable Second Chamber to replace the House of Lords.
Improved citizenship education for young people followed by a free vote in Parliament on reducing the voting age to 16.
Legislation to ensure Parliaments sit for a fixed term and an All Party Commission to chart a course to a Written Constitution.
A statutory register of lobbyists, with MPs banned from working for lobbying companies and required to seek approval for paid outside appointments.
Stronger local government, with increased local democratic scrutiny over all local public services.
Conduct a Strategic Defence Review to equip our Armed Forces for 21st Century challenges, and support our troops and veterans.
Use our international reach to build security and stability – combating terrorism and extremism, curbing proliferation, preventing and resolving conflict, and tackling climate change.
Lead the agenda for an outward-facing European Union that delivers jobs, prosperity and global influence.
Re-energise the drive to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, supporting sustainable growth and combating poverty.
Reform the UN, International Financial Institutions, the G8 and G20, and NATO to adapt to the new global challenges.
Topics: 2010, 2010 General Elections, commission, EC, EU, Europe, European Commission, European Government, European Union, Governance, government, Labour Party, manifesto, member states, MEP's, moniter, monitor, news, NHS, Parliament, public spending
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