Keir Starmer has launched Labour's General Election manifesto urging voters to "turn the page" on 14 years of Tory chaos.
Revealing the party's blueprint for No10, the Labour leader declared it was now the time to "change Britain" and "begin the work of national renewal". Setting out Labour's pitch, Mr Starmer said wealth creation is his "number one priority", with the manifesto ruling out hikes to VAT, income tax, or national insurance.
The 132-page document says voters next month have a chance to "stop the endless Conservative chaos that has directly harmed the finances of every family in Britain". It adds: "An opportunity to begin the work of national renewal. A rebuilding of our country, so that it once again serves the interests of working people."
Launching the manifesto in Manchester, he acknowledged "we don't have a magic wand" and challenges will not "disappear overnight" if Labour wins the election. But he insisted the document represents a "credible long-term plan" to usher in a decade of national renewal.
In a pledge to voters, Mr Starmer said he would kickstart the economy - creating jobs and extra money to invest in vital services including the NHS and schools. Labour has committed to recruiting 6,500 extra teachers, 13,000 police officers, and over 40,000 extra NHS appointments a week to tackle record NHS waiting lists.
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Keir Starmer launching Labour's General Election manifesto in Manchester (Getty Images)The manifesto includes a promise to renationalise Britain's railways in the first five years of a Labour government with a new public body - Great British Railways - to take over the running of all lines. It vows to create Great British Energy - a publicly owned energy company that the party hopes will bring down bills and ease the cost-of-living crisis.
It adds that Labour in government will create an "ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty" - but makes no mention of the controversial two-child benefit limit that caused deep splits in the party.
Instead, it says: "We will take initial steps to confront poverty by introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, protecting renters from arbitrary eviction, slashing fuel poverty, banning exploitative zero hours contracts, and improving support to help people get into good work."
In order to fund the pledges, Labour will close the Tories' "loopholes" in plans to abolish the non-dom status for the super-wealthy, remove VAT exemptions from private schools, and tackle tax avoidance.
The document also promises immediate legislation to abolish "indefensible" hereditary peers in the House of Lords. It says: "Too many peers do not play a proper role in our democracy. Hereditary peers remain indefensible."
"The next Labour government will therefore bring about an immediate modernisation, by introducing legislation to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. Labour will also introduce a mandatory retirement age. At the end of the parliament in which a member reaches 80 years of age, they will be required to retire from the House of Lords."
The Labour leader rejected criticism of the manifesto lacking surprises - in contrast to the Tories' desperate policy blitz - saying: "I’m running as the candidate to be Prime Minister, not a candidate to run the circus". He also promised "never" to "allow a Labour government" to return to austerity.
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