Labour Vows to be Pro-Business and Pro-Worker if Elected, Shadow Chancellor Says
On Tuesday, Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, will pledge that Labour will be both “pro-worker and pro-business” if they win the upcoming general election. In her first major campaign speech, Reeves will assure the corporate world of her credentials, promising to “lead the most pro-growth Treasury in our country’s history”. She will also emphasize that the success of businesses depends on the well-being of their workforce and that only Labour can deliver on both fronts.
This pledge comes after over 120 business leaders, including chef Tom Kerridge and Wikileaks founder Jimmy Wales, signed an open letter supporting Labour in their efforts to “achieve the UK’s full economic potential”. However, Labour has also faced criticism for their rebranding of their workers’ rights package last week, with one union boss describing it as having “more holes than Swiss cheese”. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott pointed out that Labour’s “French-style union” policies have been met with resistance from companies such as Asda and Currys, warning that it could harm the economy and result in job losses. Trott also highlighted that the Conservatives, under Rishi Sunak, have a clear plan that businesses can rely on, while Labour’s policies would “tie businesses in red tape and raise taxes”.
Since taking over the party from Jeremy Corbyn, both Reeves and party leader Sir Keir Starmer have made efforts to win over business voters. Reeves will state in her speech, “Our plans for growth are built on partnership with business. A mission-led government, prepared to take on the big challenges we face and ready to seize the opportunities of the future.” She will also stress that the party’s first step in government will be to build on economic stability, saying, “It is clearer than ever that in this election, in the face of Tory chaos, stability is change. Stability, so that we never again see a repeat of the mini budget and the damage it did to family finances. Stability, so that families and business can plan for the future. Stability of direction, so we can bring together government, business and working people in common purpose, to meet the great challenges of our time.”
Reeves will assert that by having the support of businesses, Labour can bring both investment and hope back to the country. She will add, “If we can change this party to bring it back to the service of working people, if we can return it to the centre ground of politics, if we can bring business back to Labour, then I know we can bring business back to Britain. To bring investment back to Britain. To bring growth back to Britain. To bring hope back to Britain. Because by bringing business back to Britain, we can deliver a better future for working people, by creating good jobs that pay a decent wage, bringing in investment to build strong communities with thriving high streets, putting more money in people’s pockets, and having pride in the goods and services made in Britain, but exported around the world.”
Reeves will also use this opportunity to make her election pitch, stating that the upcoming vote on July 4th will be “a chance for the British people to pass judgement on fourteen years of economic chaos and decline under the Conservatives”. She will add, “The choice at the next election is simple: five more years of chaos with the Conservatives or stability with a changed Labour Party. We will fight this election on the economy. Every day we will expose the damage they have done, and set out Labour’s alternative.”
However, the SNP’s Drew Hendry has criticized Labour’s speech, stating that it “cynically ignores the most fundamental reason for the economic decline of the United Kingdom – Britain is broken and Brexit broke it”. He added, “If Labour were actually interested in backing business and growing the economy, they wouldn’t have foolishly ruled out a return to the European single market and the customs union.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Conservatives will focus on pensioners, announcing that they will increase their tax-free allowance in line with the triple lock, ensuring it will always be higher than the state pension. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor of the exchequer, will say, “I passionately believe that those who have worked hard all their lives should have peace of mind and security in retirement. This bold action demonstrates we are on the side of pensioners. The alternative is Labour dragging everyone in receipt of the full state pension into income tax for the first time in history.”
On the other hand, the Liberal Democrats will be addressing the issue of crime, promising a “burglary response guarantee” that will ensure all domestic burglaries are “attended by the police and properly investigated”. Sir Ed Davey, the party leader, will point out that according to official government figures, almost 76% of burglaries went unsolved last year. He will state
