An early blueprint spelling out the policies that could form Labour’s next election manifesto has been leaked.
The plans, drawn up by party policy chiefs, include commitments to raising taxes on private schools and taking the railways into public ownership.
The dossier, published by the LabourList website, offer the clearest idea yet of what Keir Starmer might do in power.
Significant commitments spelled out in the National Policy Forum documents include the repeal of much anti-trade union legislation and the abolition of non-dom tax status.
It also spells out in detail how Labour will decarbonise Britain’s economy – with a state investment fund backing new “gigafactories” and R&D money for green industry.
The party also plans a wave of “in-sourcing” of public services back to the public sector, though there is a lack of detail on how this would be achieved.
It also has plans for an employment rights bill in the first 100 days of entering office.
Labour’s final manifesto will be formally drawn up ahead of the general election, with input from trade unions and other stakeholders in the party.
Party officials say the documents are an early draft intended for members only and will have to go through the process before being finalised and approved by conference.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has faced criticism for abandoning previous pledges
They will then be turned into a manifesto by a committee of party chiefs on the eve of next year’s general election campaign.
Notably, many of the ambitious policies committed to by Sir Keir during the 2020 leadership election are absent from the document.
The dossier states there will be “no return to freedom of movement” with the EU – and commits to a reformed “points based immigration system” instead.
It also suggests water and energy utilities will remain in private hands with the companies subject to revamped regulation and targets. But the party has recommitted to establishing a state-backed player in the electricity generation market.
The party has been buoyed by recent local election success
A Labour government would invest in nuclear power but not issue new licences for the exploration of oil and gas, the party says.
It wants a rolling programme for electrification of the railways and says it will build HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail in full.
Most of the plans in the document have been previously announced by the party since Sir Keir became leader and represent a collation of existing policies.
In February Sir Keir said five “national missions” would form the basis of the Labour manifesto, based on the economy, the NHS, crime, the climate crisis and education.
He said there would be “a relentless focus on the things that matter most” and “an answer to the widespread call for someone that can ‘fix the fundamentals’”.
