#035 Starmer’s Leadership Pledges
How Will Keir Starmer’s Leadership Pledges Compare To What Labour Actually Does?
In early 2020 Keir Starmer made ten leadership pledges, which formed the basis of his ultimately successful Labour Party leadership campaign.
His first pledge underlined his (supposed) commitment to his pledges by stating that there would be,“No Stepping Back From Our Core Principles”.
These 10 pledges can be translated to 21 concrete policy pledges, Starmer explicitly made. These are listed below.
1) “Increase income tax for the top 5% of earners”
2) “Reverse the Tories’ cuts in corporation tax"
Note - The Conservatives have already reversed (their own earlier) cuts to corporation tax themselves - it now currently stands at 25%
3) “Clamp down on tax avoidance, particularly of large corporations”
4) “Abolish Universal Credit and end the Tories’ cruel sanctions regime”
5) “Set a national goal for wellbeing and make health as important as GDP; invest in services that help to shift to a preventative approach”
6) “Support the abolition of tuition fees and invest in lifelong learning”
7) “Green New Deal at the heart of everything we do”
8) “A Clean Air Act to tackle pollution locally”
9) “Demand international action on climate rights”
10) “No more illegal wars. Introduce a Prevention of Military Intervention Act and put human rights at the heart of foreign policy”
11) “Review all UK arms sales and make us a force for international peace and justice”
12) “Public services should be in public hands, not making profits for shareholders. Support common ownership of rail, mail, energy and water”
13) “End outsourcing in our NHS, local government and justice system”
14) “Full voting rights for EU nationals”
15) “An immigration system based on compassion and dignity”
16) “End indefinite detention and call for the closure of centres such as Yarl’s Wood”
17) “Tackle insecure work and low pay”
Note - The Conservatives have already increased minimum wage to £11.44 an hour, for 21 year olds and older, in 2024 (branded the national living wage)
18) “Repeal the Trade Union Act”
19) “A federal system to devolve powers - including through regional investment banks and control over regional industrial strategy”
20) “Abolish the House of Lords - replace it with an elected chamber of regions and nations”
21) “Maintain our collective link with the unions”
https://keirstarmer.com/plans/10-pledges/
[This website was put up in early 2020 & subsequently taken down and replaced in late 2023]
How then will these policy promises or pledges compare to the contents of Labour’s 2024 Manifesto? and to how a future elected Labour government legislates in power?
And to what extent will these concrete pledges & policy promises be ditched, dumped and discarded, in favour of the interests of the rich and big business?
Here are some clues…
https://www.politico.eu/article/keir-starmer-labour-party-uk-election-u-turns/
