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.
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.
On prescriptions we pledge to:
 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:
 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.
 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.
 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.
 Never raise the cost of prescriptions in
real terms
 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

 The ability for parents to demand
change in failing schools to turn them
around.
 Expand the schools for expelled or
 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
day in primary schools, to raise
standards of basic numeracy.
ill pupils (Pupil Referral Units) so
that they can offer them a full-
time education if that is right for
the child.

But as I have stated time and time again, this is

 Provide means-tested bursaries for
only the beginning of the reform. 18 years of
pupils from lower-income
Conservative government has left the education
households applying to selective
system without any legs – destroyed from
private schools.
within due to underinvestment,
mismanagement and a lack of interest.
Education was the Tories biggest failure; it has
 Expand university finances to
been Labour’s top priority. We want to see a
ensure that British Universities are
revolution in education where children and
the best in the world.
parents are listened to, and not ignored in
favour of bureaucracy. To do this, we propose
these main reforms:
 Increase the nutritional value of
school meals.
 Give the same amount of funding
per child as in the private sector by
2005.
 Trial free personal laptops for those
with disabilities that hinders their
education.
 Ensure that the average teacher :
pupil ratio in state schools is within
20% of that in the private schools.
 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 anti-
bullying 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  We will introduce a new tax bracket for
lower interest rates, and continuing stability in the lowest tax-eligible income earners,
the British economy. to reduce their tax burden, and a new
bracket for the highest earners, to
Yet, this is not the sole fashion in which we will
ensure they contribute their fair share
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  We will pledge that Corporate Taxation
with ever higher investment in our public will continue to decline under our
services. government, to stimulate further job
growth
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  We will cut indirect taxes in real terms
shortage. We fixed the doctor's shortage. We such as wine and spirit duties and road
have committed ourselves to the construction taxes
of new hospitals. All of these will combine to
bring waiting lists down, and benefit everyone
who uses the NHS.
 We will continue to refund Fuel Tax to
The Grand Bargain will allow us to build on rural drivers and commercial drivers,
this. A slightly higher contribution from those and increase these rebates to create
most able to pay will allow for a bevy of new real decreases in Fuel Tax paid by them
initiatives.

 We will fully fund our commitment to

£6 billion in hospital construction over  We will continue to invest in police
the next three years equipment modernisation, and in new
hirings

 We will further that commitment to cut

overcrowding and waiting lists through  We will build and fully staff new prisons
the construction of smaller community to reduce overcrowding and the need
hospitals as well for early releases

 We will ensure there are no staffing  We will increase transfers to the

shortages in any NHS hospital Regions above the rate of inflation

 We will cut the Value Added Tax by 1%  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
Secretary of State for the Home Department
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 re-
elected 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.
 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.
 Continuing to implement the accepted
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.
 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.
 Scrap the “double-jeopardy” rule when
new and compelling evidence has been
discovered.
 Uphold the power of the Home
Secretary to determine how long a life
tariff should mean.
 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
the impact of the crime before
sentencing is determined.
Prisons
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
first two years in office.
 Ensure that there are sufficient places
within the prison system.
 Examine ways to imprison low-level
offenders in former Army Barracks.
 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.

 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.
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.
In addition to this if re-elected a Labour
Government would:
 Increase the amount of asylum cases
being heard to over 10,000 a month.
 Hire additional immigration officials
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 on-
the-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 drug-
free. If re-elected a Labour Government shall:
 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.
 Create Regional Drugs Squads within
every police force in the country that
shall concentrate solely on cutting drug
production and distribution.
 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.
 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.
Anti-Social Behaviour
We are firmly committed toward tackling Anti-
Social 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 re-
elected Labour Government would:
 Extend Anti-Social Behaviour Orders
where necessary.
 Ensure that there are sufficient places
within the young offenders system.
 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  Expanding hostel unit’s for victims of
groups of youths if they have reason to domestic violence.
believe that the group is acting
suspiciously.

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

 Examine whether it is possible to

create a new supporting police role in  Creating a Local Action against Crime
the Community, to enhance modern Fund, to help communities prevent
policing and produce a real visible crime.
police presence on the streets.

 Insuring that the Human Rights Act

 Create “Mobile” CCTV stations that can doesn’t hinder our approach towards
be placed in areas at a moment’s fighting crime.
notice, to both re-assure the public and
catch troublesome youths in the act
should they to return to the area.
 Continuing to promote better race-
relations, and greater employment
opportunities at every level for ethnic
minorities.
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.

 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:
 Creating a Local Government Bond
Market;
 Utilising central Government and
business to harness knowledge of
capital works programmes for local
communities; and
 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
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
Government in social housing to reduce
down-up pressures on the housing
market.
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.
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
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
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;
 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 living. If Labour is re-elected, over the next
fast-growing developing nations, we can create term we will implement this ambitious change
an environmental agenda that can allow for for Britain.
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.

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:
 Continue reforms set out in the 1998
Strategic Defence Review
 Provide our armed forces with the best
equipment possible
 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
 Conduct extensive review and
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.
This has worked for Britain.
We used our influence to prevent further
violence and bloodshed on the Indian-
Bangladeshi 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
the Middle East firmly in place, as well as hold
rogue states to account for their actions.
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 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, important that everyone recognise the unique
challenges and situations faced by rural
Traditionally, Britain has been a nation with a communities. Any responsible government must
heavy reliance on agriculture in many different ensure that people who live in the countryside
ways. Even after the industrial revolution and are not neglected and that their needs are
the exodus of a large portion of the population met.
from farms in the countryside to factories in
the cities, it is still the case that our national Since 1997, the government has been proving
economy could not survive without a strong that Labour is the only party which can handle
agricultural sector. Whether you live in a huge Britain’s agricultural sector successfully. We
city or the open countryside, we all benefit have recognised the difficulties faced by
when our farms and fisheries thrive. It is also 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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
 Reduce the average fee for Youth
Activities to 10 pounds
 Abolish museum fees for children
 Protect places that have historical
importance
 Ensure Britain gains from tourism, and
attracts more tourists
 Make sure public domes and stadiums
are taken care of.
 Fund local museums
 Work together with the education
department in creating after school
programs
 Build football and cricket grounds and
playgrounds at schools
 Dismantle gangs by providing work,
with one option being to help re-pair
cultural and historical buildings
 Ensure media is informational and
trustworthy
 Expand sport programmes
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.
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
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
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, on reserved matters.

History was achieved in 1999, when new

members were elected to the Scottish  Increase funding for the Scottish
Parliament. It was the first time in almost 300 Parliament at a minimum level of the
years that Scotland has had its own parliament, rate of inflation.
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
  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.
 Promote Scottish tourism
Forward Together In
Wales
Alex Fraser, Secretary For The Regions
Dear Voter,
Over the past four years, Labour has
 Fully support agriculture in Scotland
 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
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:
 Continue to work closely with the First
Minister of Wales regarding new
legislation and public service
improvements.
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.
Regards,

 Increase funding for the Welsh

Assembly at a minimum level of the
Alex Fraser
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.

 Promote economic growth in Wales,

and provide assistance to communities
in need of regeneration

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.
Forward Together
For Equality
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
 Emily Royal, Minister For Women & Equality
Dear Voter,  Provide aid to raped women

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  Give out an award each year to people
creating better lives for the people of Britain. who have made a difference for civil
We pledge to: rights

 Protect women’s and minorities’ rights

 Start a program to ensure civil rights
are protected

 Create history months like Black

history month and Asian History Month,
 Make sure unions are protecting rights
to foster social awareness of the varied
in the work place, and urge the
cultures of Britain’s citizens
ascendancy of women in both the
workplace and in their unions

 Improve pregnancy leave (maternity

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

 Strengthen Equal Pay For Equal Work

 Enact tougher sentences for child and
spousal abuse
 Raise the Child credit

 Raise the Minimum wage

 Provide women with children fair
access to Childcare Facilities
 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