Our guide to the policies of each Labour leadership candidate

Labour members, affiliate members and registered supporters will begin voting in the leadership election today, and they will be choosing between Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy until ballots close on April 2nd. The final result will be announced two days later at a special conference.

Throughout the contest, the three leadership hopefuls have made various policy announcements – from outward-looking ideas for the country to internal party reforms that could change the working of Labour in crucial ways. This is our guide to the platforms of Starmer, Long-Bailey and Nandy, listing each proposal followed by a source.

Keir Starmer

Internal party reforms

• Resolve future and outstanding antisemitism cases swiftly and under a fixed timetable. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Scrap the national constitutional committee and create an independent disciplinary process. (The Jewish Chronicle, LabourList)
• Prevent the readmittance of prominent antisemitism offenders. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Suspend any who have campaigned for or supported those expelled for antisemitism. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism without qualification. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Re-engage the Jewish Labour Movement to lead on anti-racism training. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Engage with Jewish members through only its “main representative groups”. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Take personal responsibility for putting an end to antisemitism within Labour. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• End national executive committee impositions of parliamentary candidates. (LabourList)
• Create an assembly of trade unionists and members to look at how Labour develops policy. (LabourList)
• Push for increased representation of councillors on the NEC. (LabourList)
• Introduce all-BAME shortlists. (LabourList)
• Establish a Labour Party College offering political education and training. (LabourList)
• Conduct a review into disabled access with the party. (Starmer for leader website)

Taxation, welfare and the economy

• Increase income tax for the top 5% of earners. (Starmer for leader website)
• Reverse the Conservative’s cuts to corporation tax. (Starmer for leader website)
• Abolish Universal Credit. (The Mirror)
• End the welfare sanctions regime. (Starmer for leader website)
• Set a national goal for wellbeing on a par with GDP. (Starmer for leader website)
• Introduce public ownership of rail, mail, water and energy. (We Own It)
• Bring prisons and probation services wholly back in-house. (We Own It)
• End NHS privatisation and reinstate the NHS on the basis of its founding principles. (We Own It)
• Roll out full-fibre broadband through a publicly owned infrastructure provider. (We Own It)

Education

• Scrap university tuition fees. (Starmer for leader website)
• Invest in lifelong learning. (Starmer for leader website)
• End the academies and free schools project and ensure schools are under local democratic control. (We Own It)

Environment

• Put the green new deal “at the heart of everything we do”. (Starmer for leader website)
• Introduce a Clean Air Act to combat air pollution. (Starmer for leader website)

Defence

• Introduce a Military Prevention Act to prevent illegal wars. (Starmer for leader website)
• Review UK arms sales. (Starmer for leader website)

Immigration

• Reintroduce freedom of movement for EU nationals. (Starmer for leader website)
• End indefinite detention. (Starmer for leader website)
• Close detention centres such as Yarl’s Wood. (Starmer for leader website)

Trade unions

• Repeal the Trade Union Act 2012. (Starmer for leader website)
• Hold a review into how to encourage party members to become active in their trade unions.(LabourList)

Devolution, electoral and constitutional reform

• Introduce a federal system of government. (LabourList)
• Introduce regional investment banks. (Starmer for leader website)
• Abolish the House of Lords and replace it with an elected chamber of regions and nations. (LabourList)
• Grant full voting rights to EU nationals. (Starmer for leader website)
• Consult Labour Party members on electoral reform. (LabourList)

Local government 

• Invite councillors to work with shadow cabinet members on campaigning and policy development. (LabourList)
• Hold a constitutional convention on the settlement between national and local government. (LabourList)
• Lift the ban on local councils to run their own bus services. (We Own It)
• Make it easier for councils to deliver services in-house. (We Own It)

Rebecca Long-Bailey

Internal party reforms

• Resolve future and outstanding antisemitism cases swiftly and under a fixed timetable. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Create an independent disciplinary process. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Prevent the readmittance of prominent antisemitism offenders. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Suspend any who have campaigned for or supported those expelled for antisemitism. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism without qualification. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Re-engage the Jewish Labour Movement to lead on anti-racism training. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Engage with Jewish members through only its “main representative groups”. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Take personal responsibility for putting an end to antisemitism within Labour. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Introduce open selections for MPs. (LabourList)
• Hold an impartial review into the failings of the 2019 campaign. (LabourList)
• Establish a dedicated creative digital communications unit within the party. (LabourList)

Equalities

• Reform the Gender Recognition Act to improve transgender rights. (LabourList)
• Fight against “transphobic organisations such as Woman’s Place UK and LGB Alliance”. (LabourList)
• Introduce all-BAME shortlists. (The Guardian)

Taxation, welfare and the economy

• Introduce public ownership of rail, mail, water and energy. (We Own It)
• End NHS privatisation and reinstate the NHS on the basis of its founding principles. (We Own It)
• Bring prisons and probation services wholly back in-house. (We Own It)
• Maintain 2019 manifesto commitments on tax, including increase for top 5% of earners. (Huffington Post)
• Introduce a legal right to not answer work emails and phone calls outside of working hours. (The Guardian)
• Scrap Universal Credit. (The Mirror)
• End welfare sanctions regime. (The Mirror)
• Roll out full-fibre broadband through a publicly owned infrastructure provider. (We Own It)

Devolution, electoral and constitutional reform

• Replace the House of Lords with an elected senate outside of London. (LabourList)
• Make no further Labour nominations to the House of Lords. (Huffington Post)
• Hold a constitutional convention on proportional representation and devolution. (Rebecca for Leader website)
• Consult party members on introducing proportional representation. (Huffington Post)

Environment

• Implement a green industrial revolution. (LabourList)
• Reach net-zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2030. (LabourList)

Local government 

• Devolve powers to councils to deliver infrastructure and services. (LabourList)
• Provide resources for council to undertake large-scale council house building. (LabourList)
• Help councils insource services (LabourList)
• Enable councils to support supply chains and work with local organisations to create jobs. (LabourList)
• Expand and integrate local public transport. (LabourList)
• Lift the ban on local councils to run their own bus services. (We Own It)

Immigration

• End indefinite detention. (The Independent)
• Close detention centres such as Yarl’s Wood and develop a humane alternative. (The Independent)

Trade unions

• Launch a trade union membership drive and create a targeted recruitment plan in Red Wall seats. (LabourList)
• Repeal the Trade Union Act 2012. (LabourList)
• Repeal all anti-trade union legislation going back to Thatcher era. (LabourList)

Education 

• Launch a national campaign on education while in opposition. (Tes)
• Push for government to ensure class sizes of less than 30 and provide adequate funding for schools. (Tes)
• Restore pay to teachers and school staff to pre-crisis levels. (Tes)
• Restore the educational maintenance allowance (EMA). (Tes)
• Introduce free school meals for all primary school children. (Tes)
• Remove tax loopholes for private schools. (Tes)
• Prioritise apprenticeships in new green industries. (Tes)
• Introduce free adult education with the National Education Service. (Tes)
• Abolish university tuition fees. (Tes)
• End the academies and free schools project and ensure schools are under local democratic control. (We Own It)

Defence 

• Suspend UK arms sales. (Huffington Post)

Housing 

• Build 100,000 council homes for social rent per year. (Twitter)

Lisa Nandy

Internal party reforms

• Resolve future and outstanding antisemitism cases swiftly and under a fixed timetable. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Create an independent disciplinary process. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Prevent the readmittance of prominent antisemitism offenders. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Suspend any who have campaigned for or supported those expelled for antisemitism. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism without qualification. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Re-engage the Jewish Labour Movement to lead on anti-racism training. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Engage with Jewish members through only its “main representative groups”. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Take personal responsibility for putting an end to antisemitism within Labour. (The Jewish Chronicle)
• Introduce training for members and staff on antisemitism. (The Guardian)
• Implement recommendations of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission on antisemitism. (The Guardian)
• Lower the threshold for suspension where there are allegations of racism. (TheGuardian)

Equalities 

• Reform the Gender Recognition Act to strengthen transgender rights. (LabourList)
• Fight against “transphobic organisations such as Woman’s Place UK and LGB Alliance”. (LabourList)
• Introduce all-BAME shortlists. (The Guardian)

Taxation, welfare and the economy

• Introduce public ownership of rail, mail, water and energy. (We Own It)
• End NHS privatisation and reinstate the NHS on the basis of its founding principles. (We Own It)
• Bring prisons and probation services wholly back in-house. (We Own It)
• Introduce higher taxes for polluters. (LabourList)
• Scrap Universal Credit. (The Independent)
• Increase capital gains and corporation tax to match taxation on earnings. (The Independent)
• Roll out full-fibre broadband through a publicly owned infrastructure provider. (We Own It)

Environment

• Introduce a green new deal. (The Mirror)
• Aim for all new buses to be zero emissions by 2025. (The Mirror)
• Refuse to sign a trade deal with any country that has not signed up to the Paris agreement. (The Mirror)

Education

• Abolish university tuition fees. (LabourList)
• Restore the EMA for 16- to 18-year-olds. (LabourList)
• Reintroduce grants for university students. (LabourList)
• End the academies and free schools project and ensure schools are under local democratic control. (We Own It)

Devolution, electoral and constitutional reform

• End the practice of Labour making nominations to the House of Lords. (The Guardian)

Defence

• Renew Trident but with a commitment to multilateral disarmament. (LabourList)

Local government

• Scrap Local Enterprise Partnerships and give the money directly to local authorities instead. (LabourList)
• Lift the ban on local councils to run their own bus services. (We Own It)
• Invite council leaders into the shadow cabinet. (The Guardian)
• Let councillors nominate candidates in future Labour leadership contests. (The Independent)
• Make it easier for councils to deliver services in-house. (We Own It)

Housing 

• Build 100,000 council homes for social rent per year. (Twitter)

Media 

• Maintain the BBC license fee. (LabourList)
• Explore mutualisation of parts of the BBC. (LabourList)