Warrington,November 2019-(Amanjit Singh Khaira)-
Labour have today (Thursday 21st November) unveiled their election manifesto, outlining a programme for real change which will transform the lives of millions. After nearly a decade of austerity, Labour’s “manifesto of hope” will build a fairer Britain that cares for all, where wealth and power are shared and no-one is left behind.
The manifesto contains several announcements that are particularly significant in Warrington South and that Faisal has been lobbying for since his election as an MP. Labour have pledged to review all tolled crossings, paving the way for a potential scrapping or cost reduction of the Mersey Gateway tolls – an issue Faisal continues to campaign for. Labour are the only party in the 2019 election who have pledged to review the tolls.
Labour have committed to work with 1950’s-born women to design a system of recompense for the losses and insecurity they have suffered as a result of changes to the state pension age. This announcement will have a massive impact on the 6,000 1950’s-born women in Warrington South, whose campaign for justice Faisal has made central to his work as an MP.
Labour have also pledged to protect free TV licenses for over-75’s. The Conservative Government’s decision to scrap these licenses would see 5,740 households in Warrington South lose their TV license, at a time when loneliness and social isolation among the elderly is on the rise.
On housing, Labour have formally committed to prioritising brownfield sites for development to protect the green belt - an approach championed by Faisal. Labour will also deliver a new social housebuilding programme of more than a million homes over a decade, with council housing at its heart. By the end of the Parliament, a Labour Government will be building at an annual rate of at least 150,000 council and social homes, with 100,000 of these built by councils for social rent in the biggest council housebuilding programme in more than a generation.
Labour’s manifesto is titled It’s Time For Real Change and has been released alongside Funding For Real Change, a manifesto costing document which sets out Labour’s detailed, fully-costed spending proposals. Labour’s policies will see no tax increases for 95% of taxpayers – the party have committed to ensuring, not just in this election campaign but also in government, that Labour adheres to the fullest openness and transparency about their economic policies and investment programme.
Since his election in 2017, Faisal has prioritised the interests of local people by championing policies which ensure that no one gets left behind. This manifesto is fully consistent with his approach as MP for Warrington South since 2017 and would unlock the potential of those held back for too long after nine years of Tory rule.
Faisal Rashid, Labour’s Candidate in Warrington South, said:
“I’m thrilled with this manifesto – it is full of policies that will transform Warrington and allow our town to unlock its full potential.
“Almost a decade of Tory austerity has decimated our communities. In Warrington, we have had years of underinvestment and outright dishonesty from this Government. Parts of our hospital are over 100 years old. Our local foodbank is doubling its size. Local transport links are costly and unfit for purpose. The Tories have presided over a declining and divided country. It’s time for the real change this manifesto will deliver.
“Today, we’ve unveiled the largest-scale investment programme in modern times to fund the jobs and industries of the future, so that no one is held back and no community left behind. This is a fully costed programme to upgrade our economy and transform our country.
I’m particularly pleased that a number of the policies I’ve been lobbying for have been included in this manifesto. Labour have pledged to review all tolled crossings – the only party to do so. As part of that review, I will be campaigning hard to see the Mersey Gateway tolls scrapped. We have also pledged to design a system of recompense for the losses and insecurity suffered by WASPI women, to reinstate free TV licences for over-75’s, and to formally commit to protect green belt sites from development.
“Our manifesto has made the choice in this election clear. A vote for Labour is a vote for you, your children, our schools, the NHS, your friends, your families, our planet. It’s a vote for the real change that our country so desperately needs.”
