Exclusive: Labour launches policy roadmap to “fairer, greener future”

Labour is today launching a “new roadmap to a fairer, greener future” with a report outlining the “bread-and-butter policies” that Keir Starmer’s party has said it would implement to transform the country, LabourList can reveal.

The party will publish its report – Stronger Together: A Fairer, Greener Future – representing the latest output from the ‘Stronger Together’ policy review launched by Starmer in May 2021 and chaired by Anneliese Dodds MP. The report will be presented to Labour conference by Dodds, the Labour Party’s chair.

Commenting this morning, Dodds told LabourList: “Nobody who reads this report can be in any doubt that Labour is now the party of ideas in British politics today. Stronger Together is our roadmap to a fairer, greener future for Britain.

“From tackling the cost-of-living and climate crises to building a stronger, more secure economy, delivering a new deal for working people to investing in high-quality public services and safe and secure communities, this report shows that Labour is ready to govern and ready to take on the challenges the country faces.”

The “roadmap” includes policy pledges such as a commitment to bring sustainable jobs to all parts of the country , creating new green jobs and decarbonising existing ones through its ‘climate investment pledge’ – the £28bn-a-year capital investment promised by Rachel Reeves in 2021 to fund a transition to a green economy.

Labour commits in the Stronger Together: A Fairer, Greener Future report to signing into law its ‘new deal for working people‘ within the first 100 days in government, which includes proposals for ‘fair pay agreements’, family-friendly policies and strengthened employment rights from day one in a job.

The document includes a ten-year plan of reform to social care, focusing on keeping people in their homes. The plans also includes guaranteed pay, conditions and training for care workers and a new NHS national target guaranteeing mental health support within one month for those who need it.

Stronger Together: A Fairer, Greener Future commits Labour to extending statutory maternity leave, investing in early years, a ‘national excellence programme’ to recruit 6,500 new teachers and the party’s Children’s Recovery Plan aimed at reversing damage done to children’s learning and development throughout the pandemic.

The opposition party has committed to making ending violence against women and girls a “key mission in government”, proposing a new national register of serial domestic abusers and stalkers, specialist rape and sexual assault units in every police service area and new minimum sentences for rape and stalking.

Labour’s report also promises to “make Brexit work” by making trade deals and partnerships that deliver jobs and opportunities, as well as reiterating its pledge to ‘make, buy and sell’ more in Britain by ensuring more British businesses can benefit from winning government contracts.

Dodds added: “After 12 years of sleaze, scandal and incompetence, the Conservatives are out of ideas, out of road – and out of time. Only Labour can unite the country, clean up our politics, and build a fairer, greener future that everyone in Britain can be proud of.”

The report has the support of the Labour leadership and shadow cabinet, its publication following 12 months of consultation with Labour’s frontbench teams, trade unions affiliated to the party and Labour members.

Starmer and Dodds unveiled the policy-building project last year. Six themes were identified for the roadmap: better jobs and better work; a green and digital future; safe and secure communities; public services; a future where families come first; and Britain in the world.

Writing exclusively for LabourList at the time, Dodds explained that the party wanted to “harness that spirit of togetherness” seen during the Covid pandemic.

Its publication coincides with the release a new Stronger Together: Labour Works report for 2022, which showcases the work that the party is doing in local government, in the metro mayoral authorities, in police and crime commissioner areas and in Scotland and Wales. This is an update on its 2021 counterpart.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE