Labour Left Presses for Manifesto Commitments

Six pledges for a popular Labour Government

On the day that Tony Blair launches his six pledges for a third-term New Labour Government, Left Labour MPs and Trade Unions have launched a final push for inclusion of its own six pledges for inclusion in the Labour Party's Manifesto.

Based upon policies agreed at the Labour Party Conference the Labour Left is calling for:

• An End to the Occupation of Iraq
• Restoration of Employment Rights
• Abolition of Student Fees and an end to Selection
• A Significant Increase in the Basic State Pension
• An End to Privatisation and Restoration of Public Ownership of Rail
• Direct Investment in Council Housing

These pledges are based on democratic Labour Party conference votes and the agreement made at the Warwick Policy Forum, rather than from the 'focus groups' of Alan Milburn.

Labour MPs working with left unions are working for the inclusion of these basic demands within the manifesto. As part of the Warwick Agreement, Blair has agreed that the unions will be consulted before the manifesto is drafted under Clause V of the Party constitution. Labour Party MPs and Trade Union leaders are using the weeks before the election is called to organise a push for the inclusion in Labour's final Manifesto of these policies that were agreed at Party conference.

John McDonnell MP, Chair of the Labour Representation Committee and Campaign Group of MPs, said:

“We are facing the lowest turnout in the history of elections in this country and the lowest level of mobilisation of Labour party members in the history of our party. The Left in both the party and trade unions will be using these last weeks before the election is called to deliver a Labour manifesto which motivates our supporters to come out and vote rather than a New Labour draft which encourages a stay at home response.”

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