Only one issue today, but it’s a big one and it deserves to have the whole email to itself.
We’ve now had 24 hours to go over Labour’s manifesto, unveiled on Thursday, three weeks out from the coming general election. In all likelihood, this document will define the legislative agenda of the next UK government. So what’s in it?
Well, you can read the document here and decide for yourself what you think. As an apolitical organisation, OB is careful never to endorse any political party. We always urge you to make your own mind up and exercise your democratic right to support or reject what’s on offer.
But we don’t flinch from criticising parties when they undermine our democratic rights and institutions. And we won’t flinch from praising them if and when they take steps genuinely intended to defend, strengthen or renew our democracy.
So, here’s what we think of Labour’s manifesto.
Overall, Starmer seems to understand the public’s discontent with Sunak’s Conservatives. He (heavily) emphasises “change”, “restoring hope”, “stopping the chaos”, and “turning the page”. That is very welcome.
But when you get into the detail, things are a little less clear.
We assessed Starmer’s plans for democratic reform against the proposals set out in our Democracy Goals report, and in our new mini-manifesto for democracy. In dong so, we drew everything back to this fundamental question: “On the basis of these plans, will Labour deliver a stronger, fairer and more representative political system before it’s too late?”
According to the manifesto, Labour have plans to:
Establish a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to ensure probity in government;
Support an immediate ban on MPs taking up paid advisory or consultancy roles;
Review and update post-government employment rules to end abuses seen under the Conservatives;
Introduce legislation to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords;
Require peers to retire at the end of the Parliament in which they reach 80 years of age;
Consult on replacing the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber that is more representative of the regions and nations;
Give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections (IN OUR MANIFESTO);
Improve voter registration and address “inconsistencies” in voter ID rules;
Protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties (IN OUR MANIFESTO – though more clarification needed).
So, the answer to our exam question is: Yes and no.
We’re glad to see two of our mini-manifesto proposals in Labour’s document. And we’re encouraged that there is some acknowledgement of the need to address issues such as Lords Reform, Voter ID and ethics/standards in governmnet.
But it’s clear there is still much work to be done to persuade them to carry out ALL the reforms that are so desperately needed.
For example, there is no mention of fixing our broken press. Or of repealing recent legislative attacks on our civil liberties, such as the right to protest. Â Failure to address these two fundamental issues perpetuates an environment in which the far-right can flourish. Any sensible government committed to defending democracy would grasp those issues as a matter of urgency.
Lastly, we note with disappointment, if not surprise, that there is no mention of any plan to adopt Proportional Representation. (But we’re already working with partners across the democracy sector to change that.)
All in all, this manifesto is a clear indication that the government-in-waiting is alive to the need to fix our democracy and willing to do so, at least in part. That represents a very welcome change from the current situation.
OB’s job now is to push them to complete the job so that our political system is not vulnerable to subversion by demagogues and strongmen who we know are waiting for their opportunity to strike.
