Keir Starmer Pledges To End "Pantomime" Politics As He Sets Out Safety First Labour Manifesto

Labour leader Keir Starmer put "growth" at the heart of a General Election manifesto containing no major surprises as he looks to further strengthen his position in the race to Downing Street.

Speaking at the Co-operative Headquarters in Manchester city centre on Thursday, three weeks from polling day, Starmer looked to solidify Labour’s massive lead in the opinion polls and reassure undecided voters he would not commit to unfunded spending commitments.

The manifesto — an A5 document of more than 100 pages with the word Change emblazoned on it — set out Labour’s vision centred on achieving economic growth. The party also vowed to cut crime, reduce NHS waiting lists, liberalise planning rules and improve the UK’s energy security. 

The document didn't contain any major new policy announcements, however, re-emphasising the "first steps" for power set out by Starmer in May.

Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader, was the first speaker on Thursday morning, claiming the party would  “end the chaos” of the last 14 years of Conservative government. She was followed by a host of speakers including Iceland CEO Richard Walker, a former Tory donor who recently switched to Labour, and a mix of voters, including one man who was living with terminal cancer.

Here is what we learned from the Labour manifesto.

There were no new policies within the Labour manifesto other than those which had previously been announced.

Starmer rejected calls for surprise policies, sometimes described as "rabbits", saying he wanted to provide certainty and put an end to "pantomime" politics.

"If you want politics as pantomime, I hear Clacton is nice this time of year," Starmer said, referring to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage who is standing in the Essex