Forward Together

Forward Together

Labour Party General Election Manifesto 2001

A Message From The Prime Minister

This Manifesto contains the most revolutionary reform agenda this country has seen in half a century. Our position is simple: Britain must be transformed if it is to prosper in the 21st Century. Too many of our countrymen and women live in poverty. Waiting lists in the NHS are too long. Not enough of our schools are up to standard. People waste too much time in traffic. Our environment is in danger, and we must act now to ensure its survival. In 1997, new Labour promised a new Britain, and delivered. The Minimum Wage, fiscal prudence, Devolution, the Child and Family Benefit, more police, and greater investment in our public services have made Britain a far better place in which to live. Now, we must complete the transformation, and build upon the successes of the past 4 years, to solve the lingering problems which affect our nation. New Labour is the only force in British politics today which has the record and the vision to achieve success. Others may say they believe in fiscal responsibility, but years of Conservative Government showed that those words are little more than a campaign slogan to them. Others may say they will keep the economy growing, but no party has a record as strong as new Labour’s. Others may say that they will increase investment in

our public services, but no party has a plan like new Labour’s that will ensure that that investment is permanent. We do not seek to simply change this country for the next five years. If re-elected we will enact lasting change, which will improve our public services, and ensure equity and accountability in our society for years into the future. It is our generation’s time to leave a lasting, positive mark on our nation’s glorious history. This Manifesto details our plans. We are guided by the conscience of the people, and we call for common cause. Our Manifesto, then, is not filled with political promises. Our Manifesto is filled with solemn pledges, based upon our principles. Everything contained within will be enacted in the next five years, as Britain is revolutionised. On behalf of my party, and our candidates, I ask for your support in this election, and your support for our broad-based movement to continue the transformation of our country. We must go forward together.

Yours,

George Brent

Forward Together On Health

Dilan Winters, Secretary For Health Dear voter, Over the past four years, Labour has prioritised spending on the National Health Service, a vital component of the British welfare state. Waiting lists are falling and we have seen the end of ‘winter crises’ in the NHS, with more beds and more staff. However, we have only just brought the NHS up to speed after years of neglect – Now it is time to make the NHS the best care system in the world. On investment we pledge to:

 Provide more than 100,000 extra hospital beds to reduce the overcrowding index by fifty points.

 Provide more, smaller hospitals so that simple hospital care is available closer to home.

 Reopen more Accident and Emergency Departments across the country and reduce the time it takes to see a

patient to a very maximum of four hours.  Hire thousands more doctors , nurses, paramedics and other health professionals.

 We pledge to hire more midwives and expand maternity wards to allow more women to give birth in hospitals.

On NHS management we pledge to:  Increase local participation and give local councils more control of their local trusts.

 Gradually reduce central control.

 Limit private sector involvement in infrastructure to only the largest projects and ensure no return to an internal market.

 Ensure the NHS is run efficiently with as little need for large amounts of administration staff, and that doctors get an adequate say.

 Re-involve nurses in hospital management by bringing back matrons to the NHS.

On preventative care we pledge to:  Give incentives to GPs who see their patients within three days if requested.

 Encourage patients to get check-up’s more often and make these more available to all.

 Build a new system of government clinics that can act as a second choice if your local GP cannot see you. On waiting lists we pledge to:

 Reduce wait times for Accident and Emergency, GPs, and other areas as well as surgery.

 Explore ways to even out the distribution of doctors per head of population between regions, such as government clinics. On prescriptions we pledge to:

 Never raise the cost of prescriptions in real terms

 Further reduce waiting lists in most areas of surgery.

 Reduce waiting lists on more specialised surgery by allowing new small hospitals to specialise in different types of surgery.

 Eliminate the charge for those on low incomes, and ensure that all those on income benefit never have to pay a charge for any NHS service.

Forward Together On Education

Paul Friar, Secretary For Education Dear Voter, As Secretary of State for Education since George Brent took leadership of the Labour

Party, I have been very active in reforming the way Education in this country works. These reforms, I’m sure will prove to be very successful and are already proving highly

popular. These reforms have delivered: Greater choice for parents for the type of education their child gets.

 Better support for teachers in dealing with unruly pupils.

 The ability for head teachers to set their own policy for excluding disruptive pupils.

 Remove the cap on expulsions and continue to subsidise schools for expelled pupils until the end of the year, whilst giving schools who take in expelled pupils 50% extra funding.

 Introduce a numeracy hour every day in primary schools, to raise standards of basic numeracy.

 Expand the schools for expelled or  The ability for parents to demand change in failing schools to turn them around.

 The ability for parents to play a greater role in the operation of schools with the support of the government where the Local Authority is failing But as I have stated time and time again, this is only the beginning of the reform. 18 years of Conservative government has left the education system without any legs – destroyed from within due to underinvestment, mismanagement and a lack of interest. Education was the Tories biggest failure; it has been Labour’s top priority. We want to see a revolution in education where children and parents are listened to, and not ignored in favour of bureaucracy. To do this, we propose these main reforms:

 Give the same amount of funding per child as in the private sector by 2005.

 Ensure that the average teacher : pupil ratio in state schools is within 20% of that in the private schools.

ill pupils (Pupil Referral Units) so that they can offer them a fulltime education if that is right for the child.

 Provide means-tested bursaries for pupils from lower-income households applying to selective private schools.

 Expand university finances to ensure that British Universities are the best in the world.

 Increase the nutritional value of school meals.

 Trial free personal laptops for those with disabilities that hinders their education.

 Place a responsibility for schools to develop a code-of-conduct for pupils at their school, with set minimum sanctions for offenses – including a minimum of one day’s suspension for any form of bullying.

 Increase parental choice over the type of school they can send their child to.

 Ensuring that schools include homophobic bullying in their antibullying policy.

 Expand the ‘fabric fund’ to make it easier for schools to improve or repair their buildings. There is really no point accepting the status quo when it comes to education. The Labour Party is committed to providing standards of Education that are unrivalled in Europe and the Western World. However, these structural reforms are needed to ensure that this can be delivered. For the past four years, Labour has done more to improve education than the Tories managed in eighteen. While the Tories talk about improving education, Labour deliver. Sincerely,

Paul Friar

Forward Together On The Economy

Sir Thomas Mitchell, Chancellor of the Exchequer Dear Voter, In only four years, the British economy has undergone a marvelous transformation. The days of economic uncertainty, of budgetary indecision, and general chaos are over. Under a Labour government, the British people have seen tangible benefits in every budget. They have seen improvements to their services. They have seen an improving economy. They have seen all that they wished our government would deliver. We set out an ambitious vision, and we are well on the road to realising it. Labour has meant more jobs. From a frightening high of three million unemployed under the previous government, the number of Britons without work has fallen to less than half that. Unemployment is now at its lowest level since 1975. There are more people in work than ever before. We promised jobs, and we delivered jobs. Labour has meant stable, robust economic growth. The era of boom and bust is over. The economy has remained at manageable and strong levels during the four years of this government. Improvised economic policy will not replace the terrific stewardship that Labour have had over the British economy. No longer will we see growth rates hitting double digits and then recession immediately afterwards. It will be a better British economy for all when it is predictable, and it is stable. We pledge to continue this.

Labour has meant low inflation. Not in 30 years have inflation rates remained this consistently low. Between 1979 and 1997 inflation averaged 6.2 per cent. Now, inflation remains below 3% and is set to fall even further to the government's target of 2.5%. This has again been a product of our stable fiscal policy, which we pledge to continue. When prices are as predictable as the economy, everyone benefits. Labour has meant low interest rates. Interest rates from 1979 averaged 10 per cent. Falling inflationary pressures have allowed the newly independent Bank of England to lower rates in a stable, effective fashion. No longer have interest rates been a tool of policy that jeopardize economic stability. Instead, after this government made the Bank independent despite opposition objections, long-term interest rates fell to their most consistent low for 35 years. Since 1997 short-term rates have averaged 6 per cent, and remained stable over the past year, the longest period of consistently low interest rates since the 1960s. Mortgages now average £1,200 a year lower than under the previous government, and we are delighted with this achievement. If re-elected, we will build on it. Labour, clearly, has meant measurable and visible progress in all the areas of the economy. We have established a track record of economic competence that has eluded previous governments. And we intend to continue this

track record to still lower unemployment, still lower interest rates, and continuing stability in the British economy. Yet, this is not the sole fashion in which we will continue to allow fine economic stewardship to benefit the British people. The Grand Bargain is one of the most ambitious programs in years to truly balance a desire to assist those in poverty with ever higher investment in our public services. Our track record on the nation's #1 concern is already stellar - in just the last budget, the government hired more nurses than had been hired in the past 8 years. We fixed the nursing shortage. We fixed the doctor's shortage. We have committed ourselves to the construction of new hospitals. All of these will combine to bring waiting lists down, and benefit everyone who uses the NHS. The Grand Bargain will allow us to build on this. A slightly higher contribution from those most able to pay will allow for a bevy of new initiatives.

 We will introduce a new tax bracket for the lowest tax-eligible income earners, to reduce their tax burden, and a new bracket for the highest earners, to ensure they contribute their fair share

 We will pledge that Corporate Taxation will continue to decline under our government, to stimulate further job growth

 We will cut indirect taxes in real terms such as wine and spirit duties and road taxes

 We will continue to refund Fuel Tax to rural drivers and commercial drivers, and increase these rebates to create real decreases in Fuel Tax paid by them

 We will fully fund our commitment to £6 billion in hospital construction over the next three years

 We will continue to invest in police equipment modernisation, and in new hirings

 We will further that commitment to cut overcrowding and waiting lists through the construction of smaller community hospitals as well

 We will ensure there are no staffing shortages in any NHS hospital

 We will cut the Value Added Tax by 1%

 We will build and fully staff new prisons to reduce overcrowding and the need for early releases

 We will increase transfers to the Regions above the rate of inflation

 We will index all benefits to inflation

in our first year of re-election, and by a subsequent 1% by the end of our term

 We will maintain a balanced budget

All of this will be easily achievable without increases in the tax burden on the low-income Briton. A government must invest in the nation's priorities, and in this case these are the public services. Record investment by another Labour government will lead to record decreases in hospital waiting lists, and a health service the envy of the world over. One of the world's fairest tax systems, and continuing job growth in a robust economy will be welcome additions to this ambitious vision. Lend your Labour candidate your vote in this election, and Britain will be transformed in a way that will make it a world leader in ensuring opportunity for citizens from every walk of life. Surely, this is something that we can all support.

Sincerely,

Thomas Mitchell

Forward Together On Law & Order

Fletcher Christian, Home Secretary Dear Sir or Madam, When it comes to Home Affairs I believe we all share common beliefs. We all want a Britain where we can feel safe – safe in our homes, within secure communities, with effective policing and safe in the knowledge that our borders are being protected. We all want to have faith in our criminal justice system, knowing that those who do harm to our society will be punished for having done so. I believe what underpins all this is a fundamental belief in security – security for the individual, for communities, and for our nation as a whole.

Crime has fallen in the past four years – something I’m extremely proud of. There are more police on the streets now than there were in 1997, something I’m equally proud of. Prosecutions by the Crown Prosecution Service are also up by 25%, something we can all be proud of. Our strategy is clear, and it’s showing results. Yet I won’t deny more can and must be done – that’s why this Manifesto is about building upon the successes of the past four years, with a new plan for the next five. The plan recognises that because the nature of crime is changing,

so too must the way we fight crime – to tackle repeat offending, drug related crime, and organised crime. Above all else, the plan is about continuing to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime; insisting upon individual responsibility for crime, and attacking the causes of crime by our measures to relieve social deprivation.

Rt. Hon Fletcher Christian

 Enhancing community patrols and achieving a more visible police presence on the streets.

 Creating a new, nation-wide force to deal with issues such as organised crime and counter-terrorism.

Secretary of State for the Home Department

 Continuing to implement the accepted

Supporting Our Police The foundation in any Government’s fight against crime is the police service. Labour recognises this and it’s why the last budget alone saw us hire over 3,000 extra police officers. Should we be re-elected we pledge to hire an additional 3,000 officers every year – that’s a total of 15,000 over a five year period, bringing police numbers to their highest ever level in the process. We also intend to build a more effective police service. A start has already been made in the creation of a Police Modernisation Fund, which has helped to modernise the equipment our police use. If reelected a Labour Government would continue this fund in addition to:

 Hiring an extra 3,000 Police Officers every year.

 Creating a new Independent Police Complaints Commission.

 Continuing efforts to cut red tape and bureaucratic oversight within the police service.

recommendations of the Macpherson Enquiry into the Police Service.

 Discussing with the police how those on the frontline might be rewarded for their skills, experience, and commitment.

 Continuing to promote cross boundary police co-operation where possible, in areas such as training and police development as well as strong leadership within the police service, in addition to providing modern equipment and specialist training where necessary.

The Criminal Justice System The traditions of the Criminal Justice System in our country are world renown but in many areas it remains in need of dire reform – especially in relation to sentencing and the treatment of victims. We have increasingly seen, over the past decade public faith in the criminal justice system disappear, for a whole host of reasons. Rather than simply assign blame Labour seeks to restore that faith and with that aim in mind, a re-elected Labour Government would:

 Adopt a new and tougher approach to sentencing.

the impact of the crime before sentencing is determined.

Prisons  Develop late-sitting, seven-day-a-week courts in areas with high crime levels.

 Allow evidence to be introduced in Courts of past convictions, when relevant to a case.

 Increase the term of imprisonment a Magistrate can sentence someone to, to two years.

Just like our Criminal Justice system needs reform, so to do our prisons. We acknowledge that the problem of overcrowding exists within our prison system and we’re committed to taking both a short and long term approach towards solving it. We also plan to tackle the problems that exist within the prison system, such as drug misuse as well as increasing the role of adult education courses, so as to encourage rehabilitation and cut re-offending. With these aims in mind a Labour Government would:

 Build an additional five prisons in our  Scrap the “double-jeopardy” rule when

first two years in office.

new and compelling evidence has been discovered.

 Ensure that there are sufficient places within the prison system.

 Uphold the power of the Home Secretary to determine how long a life tariff should mean.

 Examine ways to imprison low-level offenders in former Army Barracks.

 End the right for defendants to decide whether or not they are tried before a Crown Court.

 Introduce a “three strikes and you’re out” policy with regards to those convicted of violent and sexual offences.

 Allow victims and their families to present before the courts and other criminal justice agencies their views on

 Increase the amount of adult education courses within the prison system.

 Examine the powers of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and see whether additional powers are needed.

 Launch a review of Britain’s prisons so to estimate how many additional places shall be needed in the next decade.

In addition to this if re-elected a Labour Government would:

 Make it mandatory for all inmates to receive drug tests upon both entering and leaving prison, in addition to denying release until a drug-addicted inmate has received treatment for their addiction.

 Increase the amount of asylum cases being heard to over 10,000 a month.

 Hire additional immigration officials

Immigration Immigration brings with it a positive contribution to our country. We must also recognise that as our economy continues to grow and expand, the rules on immigration must continue to reflect the need to meet the growing skills shortages we face. Having said this we intend to make every effort to see to it that those who come here to live or work make every effort to integrate into our society and our country. With regards to the issue of Asylum we believe it is right that people fleeing persecution are able to make a new life as hard-working citizens in a new country. The key, we feel in respect to asylum is hearing cases swiftly and fairly. We plan to increase the amount of cases heard to over 10,000 a month, with the people who’ve been denied asylum being deported from this country within 72 days of the decision being made. In respect to illegal immigration our policy is clear and stark: None who comes here via illegal means shall have the opportunity to remain here. We’ve made great strides in the past year by ordering the largest crackdown on illegal immigration in the past decade, in addition to reaching an agreement with the French Government to shut the Sanagette Refugee Camp. If re-elected we intend to launch the most radical reform to our border security since the introduction of passports. The “biometric revolution” will enable us to track the movements and confirm the identity of all people entering and leaving our country.

who can search vehicles arriving at UK ports.

 Impose fines upon lorry drivers and their companies if they are found to be transporting illegal immigrants.

 Grant police the power to impose onthe-spot fines to employers who are found to be hiring illegal immigrants.

 Grant the UK Immigration Service the power to impound all vehicles found to have illegal immigrants on board them.

 Alter the appeal process for those being deported, by having the appeal heard in the British Embassy of their Home country rather than here, in the UK.

 Launch a “biometric revolution” in respect to border security, with the use of computer-based technology to track the movements and to confirm the identity of people entering and leaving the UK.

Drug Related Crime

One of the biggest drivers of crime in our society is drugs. Our approach towards drugs has been twofold: Increased treatment and tighter penalties. These two approaches were enshrined in the two bills we recently introduced into the House of Commons. With our approach the United Kingdom shall have the potential to treat near on one million drug addicts over a five-year period. During the past four years we created Drug Testing and Treatment Order, which have ensured that those punished in the community remain drugfree. If re-elected a Labour Government shall:

 Re-introduce the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act, which aims to increase the sentences passed down by the Courts for every drug-related offence we have on the statue books. Upon the Acts passage, the minimum sentence passed down for those caught in possession of a Class A substance shall be 2 years – an increase of one year and six months from what it currently is.

 Grant Police and the Courts new powers to shut down drug dens.

 Work with Local Authorities to create Drug Policy Plans in every borough in the country.

 Re-introduce the Drugs Act, thereby creating an additional 157,000 drug rehabilitation places in the country.

Anti-Social Behaviour We are firmly committed toward tackling AntiSocial Behaviour and the growing “yob culture” that seems to have engulfed some communities in the past decade. We introduced the first Act before Parliament that was designed to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour back in 1998 and it led to the creation of ‘Anti-Social Behaviour Orders’ that have made a real impact in many communities. Building upon this success a reelected Labour Government would:

 Extend Anti-Social Behaviour Orders  Create Regional Drugs Squads within every police force in the country that shall concentrate solely on cutting drug production and distribution.

where necessary.

 Ensure that there are sufficient places within the young offenders system.

 Reverse the burden of proof for those found to be in possession of drugs – meaning that those who are found to have over a certain amount of drugs in their possession shall need to prove to the police that it was for personal consumption or otherwise face charges of intending to supply the drugs to others.

 Create exclusion orders that will stop troublesome youths from one estate entering another to cause trouble.

 Create Curfew orders that will stop troublesome youths from leaving their homes during specified hours of the night.

 Grant police to power to disperse large groups of youths if they have reason to believe that the group is acting suspiciously.

 Expanding hostel unit’s for victims of domestic violence.

 Continuing our support of the voluntary and charitable sector.

 Create Anti-Social Behaviour Units within every Council in the country to focus solely on tackling Anti-Social Behaviour within communities.

 Examine whether it is possible to create a new supporting police role in the Community, to enhance modern policing and produce a real visible police presence on the streets.

 Creating civil partnerships for people of same-sex relationships.

 Creating a Local Action against Crime Fund, to help communities prevent crime.

 Insuring that the Human Rights Act  Create “Mobile” CCTV stations that can be placed in areas at a moment’s notice, to both re-assure the public and catch troublesome youths in the act should they to return to the area.

Society as a whole In 1997 we promised a renewal of our society and we’ve begun that renewal in the past four years. The UK now has the most comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation in Europe, in addition to enhancing the role between the state and the voluntary and charitable sector. If re-elected a Labour Government will continue this renewal by:

 Equalising of the Age of Consent.

doesn’t hinder our approach towards fighting crime.

 Continuing to promote better racerelations, and greater employment opportunities at every level for ethnic minorities.

Forward Together On Local Government, Transport, & The Environment

Sean Hawk, Secretary for Environment, Transport, & Local Government

Since our election in 1997, New Labour has given priority to investing in Britain's Transport network, focusing on tackling Climate Change and giving powers back to Local Government. However, more must be done to secure each and every community. The Better Cities initiative was the first step to restoring power and responsibility in Local Government by:

knowledge can bring;

 We will bring in more people with private sector experience into local government to improve efficiency and cumulative knowledge;

 Investment by both Local and central  Creating a Local Government Bond Market;

Government in social housing to reduce down-up pressures on the housing market.

 Utilising central Government and business to harness knowledge of capital works programmes for local communities; and

By devolving more powers to Local Governments while simultaneously giving them more resources, we move central Government from a "controller" to a co-ordinator and facilitator. At this moment only Westminster and business have both the resources and expertise, our programme will devolve more resources to councils, and utilise expertise on a subject to local community needs and wants. This is a radical change in the role of Westminster over the long-term.

 Creating a "help list" of communities in need of investment. The next step is to strengthen Better Cities, adequately tackle climate change and investing in Britain's transport network.

Local Government Strengthening local governments is a priority for a Labour Government. In order to further strengthen councils and communities, we will:  Devolve some taxation powers from central to local governments to help finance capital infrastructure projects;

 Strengthen the decision-making powers of Local Councils;

 Help in 'agglomeration' of regional cities and metropolis' by directing investment into areas to build up concentrated industries to enjoy the economies of scale that such a geographical concentration of

By creating concentrated clusters of business investment, we will improve productivity and efficiency in these areas as well as employment and quality of life for residents. Business clusters improve flows of information, knowledge and skill. British cities and regions have for the past forty years seen their responsibilities and resources been drained away to central Government. This programme will return responsibility and power to local governments while ensuring that Westminster acts as a co-ordinator and facilitator to reduce the potential for lack of expertise or divergent strategies impeding on improving investment and standard of living in these areas.

Transport Public and private transport in Britain is in desperate need of massive long-term

investment to improve productivity and improve standards of living. If re-elected, a Labour Government will:

 Explore and begin construction of "Crossrail". This massive investment will link London to south-east England through a new rail system. It will reduce travelling times for commuters, reduce the numbers of cars on the road and improve housing prices in the affected areas;

 Invest in more roads to connect Britain

make greater utilisation of population density. Therefore, our transport programme combines a focus on investment in public transport to improve our environment, improve our cities and improve our economy.

Environment Tackling climate change requires action on behalf of government and society. If re-elected a Labour Government will:

 Create a Carbon Trading Scheme;

and our cities;

 Devolve power over "congestion charges" to all city-regions;

 Directly finance bus expansion to reduce the need for private transport;

 Creation of a "British Transport Infrastructure Fund" from which central Government will place tax receipts over a number of years and the revenues from this will be invested into desperately needed infrastructure from roads, to rail, air and sea ports to improve freight and transport capacities. Transport is essential if our economic, environmental and local government goals are to be met. By improving transport infrastructure, we reduce the pressures on our road system, reducing our national carbon footprint. We improve the flows of goods, reducing their prices and leading the battle against inflation while also boosting our business competitiveness. To create "clusters" of businesses and improve local city agglomeration of investment, we need transport to improve flows of workers and to

 Work with our European Union partners to create a modernised Common Energy Policy with a focus on supranational investment in green technology;

 Specify that all new social housing will have to have the carbon 'footprint' reduced by incorporating green technology;

 Create a "Green Technology Fund" with the Department of Education that acts as a mechanism for grants to British universities for research into the development of new green technology with the focus being on finding practical solutions to reduce both the demand for energy and the supply of harmful emissions;

 Work with our international partners to create a new Climate Change treaty with a focus on allowing both economic growth and reducing carbon emissions. Tackling climate change requires action on an international, national and local level. Our programme ensures that we have action on all

three. By involving the international community in a new treaty that incorporates fast-growing developing nations, we can create an environmental agenda that can allow for economic growth as well as reducing our carbon impact. Including the EU in its supranational facility, we recognise that the needs of Europe are unique and that we can utilise the aggregate abilities of the wealthiest bloc of nations on the planet. On a national level, we are creating a Carbon Trading System, investing in public transport to reduce our reliance on carbon-emitting private transport and creating a fund to invest over a number of years into research and development of new technology in British universities. On a local level we are specifying that all new social housing has to be built with green technology incorporated in the designs. This will ensure that over a number of years our environmental impacts will be reduced.

living. If Labour is re-elected, over the next term we will implement this ambitious change for Britain.

Our programme for Local Government, Transport and the Environment is ambitious but it is about improving our national standard of

Forward Together On Employment

Bill Paisley, Secretary For Trade, Industry & Employment Dear Voter We in the Labour Party have the best interests of you and the country at heart. We are passionately committed to making this country a fairer and more equal place to live. We believe this not due to dogma or out of date prejudices but because we believe that this is the morally right thing to do. We remember the hurt and division of the 1970s and 1980s; we remember three million unemployed through the 1980s, we remember the communities destroyed by heartless neo-liberal policies, we remember families divided with brother set against brother and we remember how British industry was destroyed. Above all though, we remember our promise to you in 1997. We promised that we would not retreat into easy choices or old answers. We promised not to turn the clock back to the 1970s but to work to move this country forward, to make it fit for the 21st century by marrying economic competence with social and moral responsibility. We have achieved much towards this goal over the past four years, with this country’s first ever national minimum wage introduced, increased maternity and paternity leave and we have given trade unions a larger stake in our national life. However, there is still much to do and

we promise you that we will not rest on our laurels. We have a full and exciting program that will seek to reform our trading and working practices to make our economy more efficient, more productive but above all fairer. These reforms will centre on employment rights, trade union reform and the creation of the Office of Just and Responsible Trading.

 Employment Rights As a matter of urgency we will bring back to Parliament the Employment Bill that was in division when this election was called. This Bill is a radical and progressive measure that creates a maximum regular working week of thirty-eight hours, regulates overtime to protect against abuse and ensure that all those who work overtime are properly paid and gives all our workers four weeks paid holiday. It also creates six extra bank holidays to give people the time off work to properly celebrate the contribution that our Queen makes to this country and that women make to the entire world, to properly and sombrely remembering the sacrifices that our forefathers and foremothers made in the two world wars and to come

together as a nation and to celebrate the contribution that we as Scotsmen, Englishmen or Welshmen make to Britain and British culture. Progressing from the Employment Bill will work to increase maternity and paternity leave, to reform sick pay and develop the rights of agency and temporary workers.

 Trade Union Reform As a matter of urgency we will bring back to Parliament the Trade Union Reform Bill that was in division when this election was called. This Bill properly protects trade union members from reprisal in the work place, that secures proper resources and support for the representation of workers in the economy and that gave trade unions a proper stake in our economy. It is only through cooperation based on mutual respect that we will make the current industrial harmony permanent. Building on the trade union reform bill we will look to make further reforms with reference to better allow trade unions to represent their members whatever the organisation of the companies they work for.

 Royal Commission on the Distribution of Wealth, Income and Opportunity Social Mobility and Equality has been falling since the 1970s and tackling this is a most pressing concern of the Labour Party. We will call a Standing Royal Commission on the Distribution of Wealth, Income and Opportunity that will work to collect the information and

produce the reports that we need to properly tackle this most important challenge.

 Companies Wage Report Bill In today’s Britain the gap between the highest paid and the lowest paid is wide and one of the reasons for this is the lack of transparency in companies payroll and wage policies. It is almost impossible for the ordinary worker or their representatives to find out the information they need to make the wage claims that ensure they fully share in the fruits of their labour. To combat this we will reintroduce the Companies Wage Report Bill that was in division when this election was called. This Bill will make companies present an annual report that details the precise nature of their payroll and precisely how big their income gap is; not only between the well and low paid but also the gender pay gap as well.

 The Office of Just and Responsible Trading The Office of Fair Trading is a vital part of the Government machinery that effectively regulated business top ensure that no companies break competition laws. We wish to create a similar organisation to ensure that businesses are not being irresponsible or unfair in their trading. This Office shall have jurisdiction over such issues as whether companies are illegally distorting the employment opportunities of their workers, whether they are endangering the health and wellbeing of our people, with a particular emphasis on the wellbeing of our children and whether they are

endangering the environment. Closing Remarks These measures do not in any way endanger the wellbeing of our economy. We reject the tired old belief that it is only through exploiting the workers of this country that we can achieve economic growth. Through the economic growth we have experienced during the past four years whilst making our economy fairer and more equal we have proven that social responsibility and justice can be married to economic competence and efficiency. This package of reforms will further build on this by making our economy fairer and more productive. We have kept our promise to you in 1997 to reform the economy and we hope that you will once again give us the opportunity of meeting our promises in the next parliament.

Forward Together On Defence

Evan Richardson, Secretary For Defence Dear Voter, Since Labour took over in 1997, we have provided the needed direction and change in our armed forces to move from our previous Cold War posture to that of the flexibility and innovation which is needed to fight the threats of the 21st century. George Brent has a plan to continue this transformation as well as provide the reforms needed to help those who have previously served our great country. Labour pledges to:

 Provide our procurement needs with partnerships with British enterprise to secure high technology and manufacturing jobs

 Work towards building a EU Defence capabilities to supplement NATO

 Maintain our minimum nuclear deterrent, the Trident submarine program

 Continue reforms set out in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review

 Conduct extensive review and  Provide our armed forces with the best equipment possible

consultations to reform how services and benefits are provided to our veterans It is important that we provide our proud men and women in uniform with the capabilities that they need to

challenge the threats in the 21st century, provide peacekeeping in troubled areas worldwide and in times of natural disasters, the help we all need. Labour has a proven track record to make the needed changes that our military needs. At the same time we must provide for those who have served

us in the past. A second Labour term in government will provide a focus on reforming the way we provide services to our veterans, so that they have greater access and less red-tape.

-Rt. Hon. Evan Richardson

Forward Together On The World Stage

William Blair, Foreign Secretary Dear Voter, Britain needs a government willing to stand up for our interests, values and traditions. Our vision for the Foreign Policy of this country has always been to use our influence on the international stage to bring about the greater good.

the Middle East firmly in place, as well as hold rogue states to account for their actions.

This has worked for Britain.

It is important for us to continue to use our influence in this way. But we have to step back and ask ourselves, “Why do we have the influence we have, and how can we continue to be influential on the international stage?” This is the most pivotal aspect of our foreign policy we must face up to here and now.

We used our influence to prevent further violence and bloodshed on the IndianBangladeshi border, and brought a settlement forward to demilitarise the border. As well as this, we have worked hard to get Slobodan Milosevic to stand trial at the International Criminal Tribunal, get a roadmap for peace in

We have managed to remain influential in the international community not by sheer luck, but by the relationships we have forged around the world. We are strong with Europe because we are strong with the US. We are strong with the US because we are strong with Europe. We are a bridge between the two. There are some who

would want us to retreat from our commitments and friendships in Europe to isolate ourselves. This is simply not a choice on the table; it would be unwise and would do more harm than good. We must continue to lead on the international stage, and remain committed to strengthening our relationships around the world. If elected, we will have a series of key priorities we will work rigorously towards:

 Peace in the Middle East: I have said it before, and I say it again, it is our moral and social responsibility to get a lasting peace settlement in the Middle East. It is a conflict which has been raging for decades, and now is the time for us to sit up and recognise we can make a difference here and now. But we cannot do it alone; we will draw on all expertise around the globe to get a united effort behind this issue. We recognise it cannot be resolved alone, but we must use our influence and work with our allies to get Israel and Palestine back to the negotiating table.

 Standing defiant against rogue states: There are states around the world which pose a threat to global peace and security. This is something we must stand strong and resolute against. Where there is corruption, we will use all diplomatic channels to ensure that those governments are held to account.

 Enhancing the role of the UN, EU and NATO: We must draw on all talents and organisations to bring peace and security to the world. Diplomacy must always be a priority, and we must utilise the use of organisations, as well as stand collectively to fight the global

challenges we face. We have immense influence in the world, and we will use this influence to bring about changes for the good of the world.

 A Referendum on the Euro: We will commit ourselves to a referendum on the Euro so the people of Britain will have a say on this issue. The government has always been a strong advocate of a strong relationship with Europe, and will continue to emphasise that we must be a part of Europe in order to be influential in Europe. There are people who want reform to Europe - we cannot reform Europe if we are not part of Europe. I will ensure we remain an influential player in Europe and lead the way on the issues we face.

 A strong position on poverty, climate change and international development: We will work towards the UN goal on aid, as well as encouraging long term investment into less developed countries. We will also assist in helping nations utilise their resources for their economy so they get the best from their resources. It is important developed countries stand up and take not that we need to address this issue to lift millions out of absolute poverty. We must also make use of the International Monetary Fund and UN to achieve the millennium goals. Climate change is increasingly becoming an issue, and we must raise awareness on this issue with the support of big players such as the US and China. We will introduce greenhouse gas emission trading to cut pollution. Our reputation in the world is strong. It is our reputation which has helped forge the strong influence we have in the international community. Help us

continue to use our influence for the greater good, and face the global challenges head on. Forward together, and not looking back.

Forward Together On Agriculture

Michael Sterling, Secretary For Agriculture, Fisheries & Food, and Rural Affairs Dear Voter,

Traditionally, Britain has been a nation with a heavy reliance on agriculture in many different

ways. Even after the industrial revolution and the exodus of a large portion of the population from farms in the countryside to factories in the cities, it is still the case that our national economy could not survive without a strong agricultural sector. Whether you live in a huge city or the open countryside, we all benefit when our farms and fisheries thrive. It is also important that everyone recognise the unique challenges and situations faced by rural communities. Any responsible government must ensure that people who live in the countryside are not neglected and that their needs are met. Since 1997, the government has been proving that Labour is the only party which can handle Britain’s agricultural sector successfully. We have recognised the difficulties faced by farmers and tackled these challenges at every level: regional, national and international. After the record snowfall in December, the government allocated £250 million for farmers who lost sheep, ensuring that sheep farming stayed afloat and survived the crisis. The countryside now faces a new threat in foot and mouth disease. The government has taken all action that is reasonably possible to bring the virus under control, from closing footpaths to commissioning centres where animals carcasses can safely be incinerated. In the future, when the agricultural sector faces such an immediate threat, Labour believes there should be a separate institution to react so as to ensure a quick, efficient and effective response. In an age in which power has shifted to many different levels and away from Westminster government, the European Union holds substantial power in the area of agriculture. Labour respects the role the EU plays in boosting our national economy, but also recognises that there are unacceptable discrepancies in the way subsidies are distributed. A consensus has emerged that both the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy are unfair and put British farmers and fishers at a serious

disadvantage. In Labour, we agree strongly with this and want to work with our EU partners to negotiate a new, more just system of subsidies within CAP and a better position the UK fishing industry within the CFP. A second term Labour government would make reform of these policies a priority in both our agricultural agenda and our foreign policy agenda. It is also EU legislation which regulates the development and use of genetically modified crops in this country. This has been an area of immense controversy, and Labour recognises the entirely valid arguments on both sides of this long-running debate. We do, however, hope that in the near future – and only when their safety has been conclusively proved – a staged and gradual deregulation of GM crops can take place across the continent. In principle, genetic modification of crops is something to be welcomed and may, indeed, become necessary. At such a time when the admirable principle of ensuring our food stocks do not run dry is coupled with decisive proof of safety and environmental sustainability, a Labour government will not hesitate to press for reform of EU regulations in this area. Labour, founded on the principles of socialism, trade unionism and collective bargaining, wants to see workers of all kinds receiving a fair price for their goods. Although we recognise that it is the responsibility of suppliers and shops to negotiate prices, we also recognise that there is an epidemic of farmers receiving an unfairly small price for their products: crops, livestock and dairy products. A second-term Labour government would legislate to ensure farmers receive a fair price for what they provide to shops through the Office of Fair Trading. A major Labour achievement has been the creation of the Food Standards Agency, which works to improve the quality and safety of our food. In a second-term, the government would utilise the FSA to observe closely the quality of foodstuffs imported from abroad. Imports are extremely important; there are several

agricultural products for which there is a large market in the UK but given the climate are not grown in large numbers. These must then be brought in from elsewhere in the world. It is important, however, that the quality of these products are regulated and controlled. In Labour, we believe that the FSA should put a focus on this and will propose legislation to make this a priority.

A highly controversial subject in rural Britain has been the question of the morality and legal position of fox hunting and hunting of other animals. A second-term Labour government would carry out a full consultation and examination of the impact of banning this practice in different areas. Our decision on whether to legislate to ban fox hunting would be based on the outcome of this process.

On the subject of rural life, Labour has been working tirelessly to make appropriate reforms and beneficial action. The Chancellor has abolished the Fuel Price Escalator for rural areas: to relieve the rural population of this tax which made transport difficult. We also introduced the CountryBus scheme, which allows businesses to receive a vehicle for use by their employees, where a lack of public transport makes commuting to work difficult. A second-term Labour government would commit entirely to the continued funding of the CountryBus scheme and all programmes which support rural transport.

Labour values the countryside as much as any other area in the UK. We want to support entirely the agricultural sector which is absolutely essential to the national economy and take action wherever possible to make life easier for those in the countryside. We are the only party willing to step forward and meet the challenges a new millennium poses to rural and agricultural Britain. Yours,

Michael Sterling Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Rural Affairs

Forward Together On Culture, Media, & Sport

Emily Royal, Secretary For Culture, Media & Sport Dear Voters, As Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, I am aware that Britain’s culture should be protected throughout our great land and country. This government and department has brought new ideas to help protect our history, our culture, our media and our sport. We pledge to:  Create museums for equality though out Britain

 Fund local museums

 Work together with the education department in creating after school programs

 Build football and cricket grounds and playgrounds at schools

 Reduce the average fee for Youth Activities to 10 pounds

 Dismantle gangs by providing work, with one option being to help re-pair cultural and historical buildings

 Abolish museum fees for children

 Ensure media is informational and  Protect places that have historical

trustworthy

importance  Expand sport programmes

 Ensure Britain gains from tourism, and attracts more tourists

 Make sure public domes and stadiums are taken care of.

As the head of this department it makes me happy to see the ideas of much work to improve the lives of children and adults in the United Kingdom. These ideas will improve our culture, media and sport which will affect the

lives of the citizens of this nation. I feel today that the plans and the hard work of the department and government are amazing, and to get all of these plans done for the people will leave a lasting legacy for the future. -

Emily Royal

Forward Together On Constitutional Reform

Mark Webb, Leader Of The House Dear Voter, We have started long due constitutional reforms during this election term. The Labour agenda to clean up and reform British politics has had many successes so far, but there is still a lot to do and we are going to push forward more ideas and legislation to ensure that the political system of Britain will serve its citizens better than it has served before.

and skills rather than because of their parentage. We are going to further reform the House of Lords by making it more representative and democratic during the next election term. The Labour party will use the Wakeham report as our guide and example in reforming the House of Lords. The Labour party is committed to a referendum on elected Lords and written constitution. House of Commons

House of Lords Labour government put an end to the hereditary principle in House of Lords because we believe that members within House of Lords should serve there based on their achievements

First-past-the-post system has served Britain for a number of years. There are calls for a reform of the voting system and these must be addressed. The Jenkins Commission provided us valuable information and recommendations,

but before we even consider changing the voting system currently in use, we must study the issue carefully and the Labour party would form another commission before any commitment to electoral reform. Devolution to Wales and Scotland introduced major innovations in the electoral systems used in the UK and by reviewing these new systems we can assess whether changes might be made to the electoral system for the House of Commons. Open Government Labour government implemented the Freedom of Information legislation to allow for the disclosure of information held by public authorities or by persons providing services for them. The days of secrecy in the British politics and society are over. The British people must at all times have access to public information Royal Prerogatives Royal Prerogatives are historic powers officially held by the Queen which have in reality been passed to politicians and especially to the Prime Minister. The Royal Prerogatives enable decisions to be taken without the backing of, or consultation with, Parliament. It is questionable whether in a democratic society such as Britain one person should have the power to exercise some of these Royal Prerogatives alone. The Labour party would begin an inquiry into this, and reform these powers, moving some from the Prime Minister to the Parliament at large.

Forward Together In Scotland

Alex Fraser, Secretary For The Regions Dear Voter, History was achieved in 1999, when new members were elected to the Scottish Parliament. It was the first time in almost 300 years that Scotland has had its own parliament, after the passing of the Scotland Act by Labour. The Labour Party is proud of its achievement in

establishing devolution for Scotland over the past term and if reelected, we pledge to:  Continue to work closely with the First Minister and Scottish Executive regarding new legislation and policies on reserved matters.

 Increase funding for the Scottish Parliament at a minimum level of the rate of inflation.

 Promote Scottish tourism

 Fully support agriculture in Scotland  Establish an inquiry regarding possible fine tuning of the powers of the Scottish Parliament prior to the next elections in 2003, having regard to how devolution has worked over the first term.

 Acknowledge that while there may be differences in the policies of the governments in London and Edinburgh from time to time, the people of Scotland are best served by a cooperative approach by both governments.

 Fight poverty, and continue to promote the expansion of Silicon Glen

The establishment of the Scottish Parliament has been the single biggest reform in Scotland over the past century. If reelected, Labour's goal over the next term will be to build on this reform, to ensure that it benefits the people of Scotland through better public services. Regards,

Alex Fraser

Forward Together In Wales

Alex Fraser, Secretary For The Regions

Dear Voter, Over the past four years, Labour has undertaken one of the most radical reform programmes in recent history for Wales. History was achieved in 1999, when elections were held for the Welsh Assembly, established by Labour. Labour remains 100% committed to devolution in Wales, and if reelected, we pledge to:

 Promote economic growth in Wales, and provide assistance to communities in need of regeneration Labour has undertaken a great deal of reform over the past term for the benefit of Wales. It is intended that over the next term Labour will look to consolidate and build upon these reforms and ensure that they continue to provide benefits to the people of Wales.

 Continue to work closely with the First Minister of Wales regarding new legislation and public service improvements.

Regards,

Alex Fraser

 Increase funding for the Welsh Assembly at a minimum level of the rate of inflation.

 Establish an inquiry regarding possible fine tuning of the powers of the Welsh Assembly prior to the next elections in 2003, having regard to how devolution has worked over the first term.

 Continue to promote equal access to government services for Welsh speakers.

Forward Together In Northern Ireland

Sir Joseph Edwards. Secretary For Northern Ireland Dear voter, It is hard to suggest that there has not been great change and progress in Northern Ireland over the last four years of Labour government. We've seen the Good Friday Agreement. We've seen the re-establishment of devolved rule after over twenty years. We've seen a radical overhaul of policing to make the system fair to Catholics as well as Protestants. Our record is strong. Yet, we concede this. The region is far from completely peaceful, and we acknowledge that. With radical elements continuing to plot to take innocent human life, and incidents such as the attack in London, we have not reached total peace yet. Yet, we continue to move forward to peace, and we want to ensure such a peace can come around. With Labour in government, we will continue the government's intended role; to serve as a neutral hand of justice in Northern Ireland. We believe that devolution is working, and is the only possible future for the region; we will work to protect the independence of the assembly, while ensuring that all sides work together.

On the police services, we support the current policing system. We believe that the successful implementation of the recommendations of the Patten Report is one of the most important steps towards peace, and the recent establishment of the PSNI will prove extremely beneficial to peace. Although we want to work with all communities, there is one set of communities we cannot be soft or anything of the like on, and those are the violent, militant communities who would attempt to put forward their points through brutality rather than through the ballot box. Although our ideal situation is that we can get such groups to lay down arms in favour of democratic co-operation, we will be hard on the sort of terrorists who would kill innocents for their cause. We will be tough on criminals. Northern Ireland is better with Labour. Let's keep on the road of peace and progress. With regards, Sir Joseph Edwards M.P. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Forward Together For Equality

Emily Royal, Minister For Women & Equality Dear Voter, As Minister for Women and Equality it is my job to provide a safe and equal country for all citizens. I feel it’s an honor in making and creating better lives for the people of Britain. We pledge to:

 Raise the Child credit

 Provide women with children fair access to Childcare Facilities

 Protect women’s and minorities’ rights  Provide aid to raped women

 Create history months like Black history month and Asian History Month, to foster social awareness of the varied cultures of Britain’s citizens

 Improve pregnancy leave (maternity pay)

 Strengthen Equal Pay For Equal Work

 Give out an award each year to people who have made a difference for civil rights

 Start a program to ensure civil rights are protected

 Make sure unions are protecting rights in the work place, and urge the ascendancy of women in both the workplace and in their unions

 Create programs for children to learn different cultures in the Education unit

 Enact tougher sentences for child and spousal abuse

 Raise the Minimum wage

 Invest in the NHS, specifically to help men and women receive quality care

 Refuse to let the clock be turned back on women's advances

 Create equality museums

These are the plans of the government this year and though out the years to come under

this government. The people of the United Kingdom have been waiting for these events and ideas for years now and under a Labour government the dreams of so many people have been granted. In the eyes of our children, race doesn’t matter. We must foster that sense of equality throughout our society. -

Emily Royal

Forward Together On International Development

Ryan Alexander, Secretary of State For International Development

Dear Voter, As Secretary of State for International Development, I, along with my counterparts across the world and at the UN, are acutely aware of the challenges that developing nations, especially those that are heavily indebted, face in terms of developing their nation's economy and investments to their nation's population and infrastructures. As a part of the Millennium Development Goals, my department is prepared to declare war on poverty in our world's most destitute corner. We vow to be relentless in our pursuit to reduce poverty and eliminate the causes of poverty as much as we can. With that in mind, this department is prepared to:

 Investigate and promote more than ever the use of fair trade to ensure that farmers in developing countries will be able to get their share of profits, and enable them to build upon their successes and guard against crop failures.

 Develop a microcredit scheme, and work with other areas that already have such programmes in existence in unison to ensure that those who need capital to develop their ideas will be able to do so.

 Look into ways to improve health and wellness amongst populations in the developing world, and to especially work with other organisations to combat AIDS and prevent its spread.

 Work with organisations with similar purposes to educate rural youths in developing countries on, at the very

least, numeracy, literacy and modern technology.

 Issue more debt forgiveness and untied aids, in lieu of the traditional policy of tying nation aids to particular conditions.

With these policies, this department believes that we will be able to tackle the causes of poverty in developing countries and create beacons of prosperity that will lit up these areas to a brighter future. With the world united in this cause, we believe we can, within our lifetime, improve the world's most destitute nations and areas for the better. Thank you for your support and together, we can do this and improve the world for the better.

Ryan Kenneth Alexander

Sec. of State for International Development