Corbyn takes aim at ‘rich’ in manifesto
JEREMY Corbyn has vowed to take on the “rich and powerful” as he set out his plan to transform Britain with the most “ambitious and radical” programme of reform in decades.
Labour’s UK General Election manifesto, launched yesterday, pledged to invest in public services, take action to tackle climate change and return key utilities to public ownership.
It would see day-to-day government spending rise by £83billion by 2024 – paid for by tax increases for business and the better off – with investment of £400bn over the course of the next decade.
In a surprise move, the party announced plans for a windfall tax on oil and gas companies, to provide an £11bn support package for workers in the industry as the country shifted to renewable energy sources.
Speaking at the launch event in Birmingham, Corbyn said it was a “manifesto of hope” that would bring to an end a system “rigged” in favour of “the billionaires and the super rich”.
However, the Tories accused Labour of planning a “reckless spending spree” which would “take a sledgehammer” to the British economy.
Labour’s plans including bringing back rail, mail, water and energy into public ownership and part-nationalising BT to provide a free public broadband service.
The manifesto committed to renewing the Trident nuclear deterrent, as is party policy, despite Corbyn’s staunch opposition to nuclear weapons throughout his political career.
In a combative performance designed to appeal to Labour’s base, Corbyn said the hostility of the rich and powerful to their plans was “inevitable”.
“They know we will deliver our plans, which is why they want to stop us being elected,” he said.
“They know we will go after the tax dodgers, the bad bosses and the big polluters so that everybody in our country gets a fair chance in life. That’s why they throw everything they’ve got at us. Because they’re scared of real change. Because they aren’t on your side.”
The manifesto reaffirmed Labour’s commitment to renegotiate a new Brexit deal with Brussels and then put it to the public in a referendum.
On immigration, it stops short of supporting continued freedom of movement – as many in the party want – if the country were to vote again to leave the EU.
It says future policy would be “subject to negotiations”.
On climate change, the manifesto does not commit to making the economy carbon neutral by 2030 as the party conference had called for.
Instead it promises a “green new deal” which would aim to achieve “the substantial majority of our emissions” reductions by 2030, supported by a £250bn investment fund.