Labour launches battle bus as Angela Rayner sets off on 5,000-mile journey across country

Labour has launched its battle bus tour with a pledge to “power up every corner of Britain”.

At an event in Uxbridge, Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves joined deputy leader Angela Rayner as she set off on a 5,000-mile journey to battleground seats across the country.

On her tour across the country, Rayner will brandish the Conservatives’ levelling-up commitments as a “phoney gimmick”, after data released by Labour revealed the areas which would be worst hit if the Conservatives are re-elected at the general election.

The data found that those in the North East of England would be £5,400 worse off, with people in the South West facing the prospect of becoming £4,300 poorer.

Rayner said: “For 14 years, the Tories have failed to do what they promised and held back Britain’s potential. Levelling up was a phoney gimmick which has now been abandoned to fund mandatory national service. It was a scam and a sham, and we should call it what it is.

“No more desperate gimmicks or promises that can’t be met. This changed Labour Party will do the hard yards to get our economy growing. We will power up our towns and cities, and release Britain’s untapped strengths.

“This is our plan for change. We will deliver growth wherever you’re from, more money in your pockets, and hand people control over what matters to them. That’s what people tell me they want, so up and down the country in this campaign that’s what we’ll be talking about.”

• • READ MORE: Labour website says party ‘needs help’ defending 16 seats in more Muslim areas

Standing in front of the battle bus, emblazoned with the word ‘change’, Starmer said Rayner would take Labour’s message to “every single doorstep across the country”.

He said: “This is about a choice, a clear choice. More chaos and more division, or turn the page and renewal with Labour.”

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