Keir Starmer launched Labour’s general election manifesto on Thursday as he pledge to “change” the country if he becomes prime minister.
In keeping with Labour’s cautious approach to the campaign, there are no big headline grabbing surprises in the 133-page document.
But Starmer defended the manifesto from suggestions it was too boring to capture the imagination of voters.
“I’m running as a candidate to be prime minister, not a candidate to run a circus,” he said.
Here are some of the key points:
At the core of Labour’s plan sits its “fiscal rules”. These are (1) to move the current budget into balance so day-to-day costs are met by revenues and (2) that debt must be falling as a share of the economy by the fifth year of the forecast.
A promise to cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 more appointments each week, during evenings and weekends, paid for by cracking down on tax avoidance and non-dom loopholes.
There will be 8,500 additional mental health staff recruited.
A total of 6,500 new teachers will be recruited in “key subjects” to set children up for life, work and the future, paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.
There will be 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries.
Free breakfast clubs in every primary school.
Planning reform to build 1.5 million new homes and no fault evictions will banned.
The minimum wage age bands will be scrapped so all adults are entitled to the same pay.
More neighbourhood police paid for by “ending wasteful contracts” will be hired to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Launch a new Border Security Command with hundreds of new specialist investigators and use counter-terror powers.
A publicly-owned clean power company, Great British Energy, will be created with the aim of cutting bills and boosting energy security, paid for by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants.
Railways will be brought into public ownership when the existing private contracts expire.
The voting age will be lowered to 16.
Members of the House of Lords will be forced to retire at 80.
Efforts will be made to “rebuild” the UK’s relationship with the EU but there is no mention of any attempt to backtrack on Brexit.
Labour will “set out the path” to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence.
A Labour government will recognise a Palestinian state as “a contribution to a renewed peace process”.