Five promises that Labor has already abandoned

Sir Keir Starmer confirmed last month that he is ready to backtrack on his promise to abolish university fees its flagship green investment plan is the latest in a string of broken promises from Sir Keir Starmer.

It will undermine confidence in the Leader of the Opposition's commitment to his principles as he seeks to capitalize on Tory turbulence and transform a double-digit poll lead into success in the next election.

Here, The Telegraph looks at some of the promises that Labor has thrown into the dustbin .

Green investment

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves today dropped Labour's flagship £28bn a year plan for new green jobs and technology, saying the party can no longer take on the amount due to economic uncertainty.

< p>She said that the Labor government would instead seek to 'ramp up' environmental investment every year in order to eventually get the promised amount. -Budget, she said, she «didn't foresee what the Conservatives would do to our economy.»

Tuition

Sir Keir Starmer confirmed last month that he was going to roll back his pledge to abolish university tuition. fees.

The Labor leader made 10 commitments when he set out to replace Jeremy Corbyn in early 2020.

Headed «social justice», his second pledge contained plans to «support the abolition of tuition fees and invest in training throughout life.”

But in May, he acknowledged that he “will likely back out of that commitment.” , claiming that it is currently unavailable due to the economic situation.

Free movement

Sir Keir said when he ran for the Labor leadership that he would «advocate free movement» after the UK left the EU.

But he confirmed he backtracked on that promise last year, telling the Mail on Sunday : “A deal with Switzerland just won't work for the UK. Freedom of movement is a red line for me.

“It was part of the EU membership agreement, but since we left I have made it clear that it will not return under my government.”

He added: «Breaking the Brexit deal will lead to more debate and debate about when we should look to the future.»

«Let's do what the country wants, face the future, use the opportunity that the UK has and make Brexit work.”

Renationalisation

Last year, Ms Reeves confirmed that Labor had abandoned its commitment to renationalization.

She said the Corbyn-era promise to return railroads, mail, power and water to public ownership was endorsed by Sir Keir during his own leadership. campaign — was now unavailable.

There was confusion then, as a party spokesman objected to the shadow chancellor, insisting on the «positive role of the railways in state ownership.»

But asked what he thought, Sir Keir said he agreed with Ms. Reeves.

«Whether it's the railroad or whatever, I want to approach it pragmatically, not ideologically,» he said.

“After the pandemic, it is very important that we have very, very clear priorities. That's why we set up fiscal rules.»

In March of this year, the shadow chancellor suggested that the nationalization of the rail network was playing a role.

“I think it’s different with trains because since these contracts are eligible for renewal, I think the government has every right to put them under national control given the mess that some of our train operators have made on our transport infrastructure. «, — she said. said.

“But we are not going to nationalize a whole band of industries.”

Income tax

Sir Keir suggested that he would backtrack on his promise to increase income tax for the highest earners.

When he ran to replace Mr. Corbyn, his first commitment was to provide «economic justice», which included a tax increase for the top 5% of people.

But last summer, he said all 10 of his old pledges had been formally rescinded, as were those contained in the failed 2019 party manifesto.

He told the BBC: «A lot has happened in the last two years . . We've been through Covid, we're in debt on a scale that we haven't seen in a very long time, if ever before.

«In the next election, we have to make a choice where we have to say what we will do X because we can afford it, but we may not be able to do Y and be open and transparent about it.” water, he replied: “Yes. The financial situation has changed, the debt situation has changed.”

Last month, when asked why he did not want to raise income taxes for the five highest paid workers, he said: “We have the highest tax burden since Second World War. What we got from the government is tax hike after tax hike after tax hike.

«If they've proven one thing, it's that their high-tax, low-growth economy isn't working.» .