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It’s not though is it. McDonnell’s ‘fiscal credibility rule’ (running a day-to-day surplus while borrowing to invest) isnt mentioned. Dodd reassuring bankers that Labour will be the party of profitability doesnt bode well for future policy announcements or funding them. https://twitter.com/meadwaj/status/1349500021310423040
It’s not though is it. McDonnell’s ‘fiscal credibility rule’ (running a day-to-day surplus while borrowing to invest) isnt mentioned. Dodd reassuring bankers that Labour will be the party of profitability doesnt bode well for future policy announcements or funding them. https://twitter.com/meadwaj/status/1349500021310423040
Does a party committing itself to profitability tax the rich, nationalise utilities or introduce free HE? It’d be nice if your time in McDonnells office was also used by the press to critique Keir ditching Green New Deal,abandoning public ownership or when hostile to trade unions
A vague policy philosophy isnt ‘literally the same policy’ so lets go through them specifically. The 2017 manifesto said top 5% earners faced a 45p marginal rate of income tax. But Rachel Reeves was repeatedly asked about it & repeatedly refused to answer:
Here’s Labour explicitly saying it doesnt want to raise taxes. Dodd says “increase taxes during the recover will inhibit growth” & a wealth tax “would only be needed if we are not growing our way out of this crisis“ so no deficit spend & no increased taxes. Somethings gotta give.
2017 manifesto proposed raising £19.4bn from corporation tax by raising headline rate from 21% to 26%. In September 2020 Labour said it’d oppose all increases on corporate tax & capital gains tax in the new budget (responding to Sunak considering a 19% to 24% corp tax increase).
2017 Labour manifestos big pledges were to renationalise rail, Royal Mail, energy & water industry. In September shadow foreign sec Nandy was asked about it (& 5% tax). She was an explicit reject on the latter & on the former: “another way” is a nice way of saying “not happening”
Keir didnt mention common ownership, nationalisation, public ownership or ending privatisation a single time at national conference (full text: https://labour.org.uk/press/full-text-of-keir-starmers-speech-at-labour-connected/). Recently at Conf British Industry Keir refused to answer q on nationalising BT saying just he’s “pro-business”
On workers (here’s the 2 pages on workers rights from 2017 manifesto) but Keir’s relentlessly attacked trade unions. Opposing Teaching Unions on schools opening, ignored union demand for 2-metre rule by supporting government relaxing social distancing measures. This is indicative
Dodd’s vague commitments to the most moderate parts of 2017’s manifesto on deficit spending & curtailing austerity arent even a serious deviation from current gov’t policy.
The most meaningful changes proposed in Labour 2017 manifesto have all but been obliterated along the way.
The most meaningful changes proposed in Labour 2017 manifesto have all but been obliterated along the way.
