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Election Live: Jeremy Corbyn launches Labour's manifesto

Last updated: 16:01 16 May 2017 BST, First published: 09:40 16 May 2017 BST

Jeremy Corbyn
  • Labour publishes final election manifesto

  • Labour proposes tax hikes for high earners and corporations

  • Tories criticise Labour's manifesto

  • Lib Dems promise start-up allowance for entrepreneurs

 

Our coverage of the general election has finished for the day but we will return with more tomorrow.

 

4.01pm...Summary of Labour's manifesto

A few key points from Labour’s manifesto include:

  • Nationalisation of water companies and Britain’s railways
  • Income tax rate 45p on £80,000 and above as well as 50p to be reintroduced on earnings above £123,000
  • Raise an extra £19.4bn from corporation tax=
  • Plans to move towards publicly owned energy system
  •  A "reasonable management" of immigration and no "bogus targets"
  • Building 100,000 affordable homes a year
  • An immediate guarantee for EU nationals living in the UK after Brexit
  • Refusing to exit the  EU without a deal in place
  • Supporting the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system
  • Reviewing council tax and business rates, considering a land value tax instead
  • Scrapping student tuition fees
  • Ending zero hours contracts and raising the national living wage to at least £10 per hour by 2020

 

3.51pm...Therea May says mininum wage will rise in line with median earnings

Theresa May is taking questions from workers at a factory in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Prime Minister has been asked if she can guarantee that the national living wage will reach £9 an hour by 2020 as former Chancellor George Osborne promised.

May said the Conservatives continue to promise that it would go up in line with median earnings.

 

On Labour’s manifesto, she claimed the party would not be able to deliver its promises because its sums don’t add up.

 

3.43pm... Conservatives to publish manifesto later this week

Theresa May has confirmed the Conservatives will publish their manifesto later this week. The manifesto is expected on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, the party has taken to Twitter to criticse Labour's manifesto:

 

 

 

3.30pm... Unions weigh in on Labour manifesto

Unions Unite and Unison have welcomed Labour's manifesto, which includes plans to raise the national living wage and ending the pay cap on NHS staff wages.

Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, said: "What Labour is doing today is what Labour does best – offering real change for the many in this country. Labour will invest in our people and build a Britain that we can all be proud of ...

"In every aspect of life – from an affordable home to a safe NHS, from a decent education for all our kids to a living wage and a decent job – the story of the Tory party is that our communities suffer."

Dave Prentis, the Unison general secretary, said: "Labour has produced a manifesto that delivers for public services. Ending the pay cap will make a huge difference for hard-pressed public sector employees.

"Proper investment in the NHS and social care will have a huge impact on patients and staff too."

 

3.07pm... Labour's plans would take tax as proportion of GDP to highest level for 70 years, says IFS

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said Labour’s plans would take tax as a proportion of gross domestic product to the highest level for 70 years.

 

 

 

2.52pm...Labour considers replacing council tax with land value tax

Labour's manifesto includes a committment of £1.5bn to local authorities in the next fiscal year to try to slow the pace of council cuts. The party will also “initiate a review into reforming council tax and business rates and consider new options, such as a land value tax, to ensure local government has sustainable funding for the long term”.

The valuations on which council tax payments are based have failed to keep up with the pace of house price growth in recent years. A land value tax would aim to capture some of the rapid increases in property prices so that the benefits can be spent on local infrastructure.

 

 

2.20pm... Labour's foreign policy

Labour has toughened up its stance on foreign policy in its final manifesto since the draft version was leaked last week.

It reads: “Labour will take all necessary measures to protect the security of our citizens and country. We will put conflict resolution and human rights at the heart of foreign policy, commit to working through the UN, end support for unilateral aggressive wars of intervention and back effective action to alleviate the refugee crisis.”

 

1.30pm... Labour will not freeze benefits, says Jeremy Corbyn

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said there would be no freeze to benefits as he launched the party’s manifesto.

The proposal wasn’t in the manifesto but Corbyn said in a question and answer after his speech: "Yes, increasing benefits is important and clearly we are not going to freeze benefits, that is very clear."

Reporters asked him if lifting the benefits freeze was a costed pledge. He responded: “We have not made a commitment on that.

"The commitment I make is that I do understand the perverse effects of the cap... and we will be dealing with that in the context of more affordable secure housing and high wages through the living wage." 

 

12.50pm...UK oil and gas body slams Labour's pledge to ban fracking

The trade body for the UK's onshore oil and gas industry has criticised Labour's plans to ban fracking if they win the general election.

UKOOG has claimed the pledge would hurt the UK's energy security, see potential UK jobs find their way overseas and keep the cost of energy bills rising.

“The Labour Party’s position has changed dramatically in two years and shows a misunderstanding of how we use energy in this country," said UKOOG chief executive, Ken Cronin

"The only solution to our pressing energy needs is a balanced mix of nuclear, renewables and gas – produced here in this country, creating tax revenues and skilled jobs.”

The body argued that within 20 years the UK will be importing more than 75% of its gas, costing the equivalent of over £300 per household and having a "big impact" on the current account. 

 

11.41am...Labour won't increase state pension past age of 66

Labour has vowed it won’t increase the state pension beyond the age of 66. At the moment those aged around 40 can expect to work until 68.

"This manifesto is a draft for a better future for our country. It's a blueprint for a better future," Jeremy Corbyn said.

"This is a manifesto for all ages."

On immigration, Labour said it will not promise a target and will take students out of the calculation of net migration, arguing that foreign students contribute to the UK financially.

 Theresa May has resisted calls from within her own cabinet to make an exception for students in her migration target.  

The full manifesto can be read here

 

11.30am...Jeremy Corbyn releases Labour's manifesto 

Jeremy Corbyn has officially launched Labour’s final manifesto, which includes plans to raise £48.6bn in tax a year.

It plans to raise £19.4bn from an increase in corporation tax, £6.4bn from increases in tax for the top 5% earners, £1.3bn from an excessive pay levy, £1.6bn from an offshore company property levy and 36.5bn from its tax avoidance programme.

Labour proposes an income tax rate 45p on £80,000 and above and 50p to be reintroduced above £123,000 earnings.

 

 

10.55am...Plaid Cymru launches election manifesto

Plaid Cymru has proposed an “infrastructure revolution” as it published its election manifesto.

Speaking at the manifesto’s launch, leader Leanne Wood said: “Plaid Cymru’s plan to invest in our schools, hospitals, roads and railways would bring about a revolution in our infrastructure network.

“In all parts of our country, buildings which are the bedrock of our vital public services are creaking. Much of our housing stock is decades old and in decay. The state of our roads and railways are going backwards when they should be taking us forward as a nation.”

Wood said the party’s £7.5bn plan would generate jobs, boost productivity, and transform our‎ economic fortunes.

 

 

09.34am…Lib Dems promise start-up allowance for entrepreneurs

Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron has promised to give a start-up allowance of £100 a week to entrepreneurs to help with living costs if elected.

Speaking in Bath on the party’s business manifesto, he said those starting an enterprise would get help under the scheme for the first six months, up to a maximum of £2,600.

Responding to a question about the impact of Brexit on international staff working in the UK, he said the eventual deal is unknown. He said “if it's unknown it shouldn't be imposed on us", but subject to a second referendum instead. 

 

09.00am…Labour to nationalise water industry

Labour is set to officially release its final manifesto at 11am after a draft copy was leaked last week.

Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, said in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programmed that while the manifesto was leaked, there are some new items in the final document. These include the nationalisation of the water industry to tackle rising bills.

McDonnell said water bills have jumped 40% due to privatisation and the industry has used tax avoidance.

“We believe this is an industry that should be brought back into public ownership for public benefit.”

McDonnell also said people earning more than £80,000 will face a “relatively modest” tax increase. The top 5% will be asked to pay more.

He rejected claims that spending plans in the manifesto would cost about £95bn, saying that figure was “widely exaggerated”.

 

 

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