Keir Starmer has proudly boasted he’s on observe to be PM within the wake of native elections.
And, with Labour persistently recording double-digit ballot leads, consideration has been turning to what a authorities underneath Sir Keir may do.
The social gathering has to this point been rigorously avoiding setting out many coverage particulars, with senior figures arguing that the Tories would merely steal the most effective concepts.
However the form of some key plans are rising, with Sir Keir admitting that many issues are ‘going into the combo’.
He has argued that the social gathering should be New Labour ‘on steroids’ to remodel the nation.
Keir Starmer has argued that his authorities should be New Labour ‘on steroids’ to remodel the nation
Intently-watched projections by lecturers Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher discovered that Labour would have 298 MPs if Thursday’s native election outcomes had been replicated – elevating the prospect they would want to make concessions to the Lib Dems on voting reform
Electoral shake-up
Sir Keir confirmed as we speak that he backs giving the vote to tens of millions of EU residents residing within the UK – who’re at the moment ready to participate in solely native elections.
That will prolong the final election franchise to three.4million EU nationals who’ve lived completely within the UK and paid tax right here for quite a lot of years.
An additional 2.6million with ‘pre-settled standing’ who’ve lived right here underneath 5 years may ultimately be included.
However ministers identified that expats should not have the precise to vote in EU nations’ polls and stated the adjustments would harm the standing of British citizenship.
They accused Sir Keir of eager to ‘drag Britain again into the EU by stealth’ in addition to guaranteeing Labour a majority.
Polling guru Professor John Curtice recommended Sir Keir would find yourself piling up votes in cities the place EU nationals often reside, evicting the Tories from seats equivalent to Uxbridge & South Ruislip the place Boris Johnson is MP.
Tories have accused Sir Keir of eager to ‘drag Britain again into the EU by stealth’ with voting reforms in addition to guaranteeing Labour a majority
Labour’s manifesto for the final election will embrace a long-standing pledge to decrease the voting age to 16, including round 1.4million younger individuals to the electoral roll. That’s anticipated to learn Labour because it has far stronger assist in that age band.
The voting age for parliamentary elections was lowered to 18 from 21 in 1969, though devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales have decreased it to 16 for native polls.
In the meantime, Sir Keir has refused to rule out ditching the first-past-the-post system altogether and transferring to proportional illustration (PR), the place individuals vote for events somewhat than candidates.
Supporters of PR say it might make sure that each particular person’s vote carries the identical weight, somewhat than rewarding events whose assist is concentrated into Commons constituencies.
Nonetheless, critics have warned that it might imply fringe events holding disproportionate energy, as they might must be appeased with a view to type a secure authorities. It may additionally break the standard connection between MPs and their constituencies.
Sir Keir’s allies insist he’s not a supporter of PR. However Lib Dems have been hinting they might demand it as the worth of propping him up in authorities if there’s a hung parliament.
Office rights
Labour sources have been briefing {that a} ‘new deal for working individuals’ shall be a key a part of the manifesto.
That would embrace a ‘proper to modify off’ based mostly on laws in France, the place firms with greater than 50 employees have been obliged since 2017 to set out the hours when workers should not speculated to ship or reply emails. Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium have adopted go well with.
Labour’s deputy chief Angela Rayner instructed the Monetary Occasions that ‘fixed emails and calls exterior of labor shouldn’t be the norm’ as a result of they’re ‘harming the work-life stability for a lot of’.
Below Labour’s plans, firms would even be anticipated to supply versatile working – together with working from dwelling and staggered hours – because the default choice from the primary day of employment, ‘besides the place it’s not moderately possible’.
However enterprise chiefs and Tories have dismissed the proposals as ‘unbelievable’ and ‘weird’, warning that they are going to tie the nation up in additional crimson tape.
4-day week
On the 2019 basic election, Labour promised of their manifesto to ‘sort out extreme working hours’ with the introduction of a four-day week for all employees.
They pledged, if Jeremy Corbyn had been to change into PM, that they might ‘scale back common full-time weekly working hours to 32 throughout the economic system, with no lack of pay’.
The social gathering claimed this might be ‘funded by productiveness will increase’.
Since taking on from Mr Corbyn, Sir Keir’s stance on a four-day working week has been much less clear – though he confirmed final 12 months he was ditching all of the social gathering’s guarantees from 2019.
But, as he drafts the subsequent Labour manifesto, backbench MPs have been pressuring the Labour chief to once more decide up the four-day week proposal.
In October, Bootle MP Peter Dowd – a staunch supporter of a four-day week – launched his Working Time Rules (Modification) Invoice to the Home of Commons.
He instructed MPs: ‘Lengthy working hours and low wages is not any technique to reside.’
Nottingham East MP Nadia Whittome has additionally lately referred to as for a four-day week to be launched throughout the general public sector.
She argued that she would somewhat be operated on by a ‘well-rested’ physician who had loved a three-day weekend.
‘In spite of everything, there’s a lot extra to life than work, and we would all be higher off in a society that recognises this,’ she added.
Ban on smoking
Labour’s shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting is exploring plans to introduce a New Zealand-style ban on smoking to Britain.
He has revealed Labour will seek the advice of on the measure and insisted there’s an ‘urge for food’ among the many public to take motion on smoking charges, with a ban being ‘fascinating’.
In what’s considered the primary such laws on the earth, New Zealand is ready to make it unlawful for anybody born after 2008 to be offered tobacco.
This can quantity to an yearly rising authorized smoking age, which is aimed toward stopping the nation’s subsequent technology from ever taking on smoking.
Mr Streeting has hailed Labour’s session on phasing out the sale of cigarettes in Britain as a part of ‘recent radical pondering’ to ease pressures on the NHS.
Labour’s shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting is exploring plans to introduce a New Zealand-style ban on smoking to Britain
‘The query for me on the New Zealand-style smoking ban is not whether or not it is fascinating,’ the shadow well being secretary stated this month.
‘As a result of I believe in coverage phrases, and by way of public opinion, curiously, I believe there’s an urge for food and a coverage driver there to do it
‘In follow, is it going to work? As a result of it might be a terrific headline, and positively a terrific sign of intent from the Labour Celebration.
‘However as with the whole lot else, not simply by way of cash, however whether or not we are able to really ship in follow, we’re stress testing the entire potential insurance policies we would put in our manifesto in opposition to how a lot wouldn’t it price, can we pay for it, after which can we ship it, is it going to work?’