Starmer's six pledges (not a pledge card!) are in effect more of an idiot's guide to help keep his candidates on message.
1. Economic Stability
The lack of detail about what the "tough spending rules" entail leaves room for scepticism. Without a clear plan, it's difficult to assess how these rules will be implemented and what impact they will have on the economy.
2. NHS Waiting Lists
The pledge to cut NHS waiting lists by providing 40,000 more appointments each week is meant to be funded by tackling tax avoidance (tax avoidance is perfectly legal) and non-dom loopholes. While this sounds promising, the effectiveness of such measures is yet to be proven, given that people will either move their money abroad or simply look for other loopholes. Moreover, it doesn't address the underlying issues of NHS underfunding and staff shortages.
3. Border Security
The creation of a border security command to stop the gangs arranging small boat crossings is a copy of what already exists and clearly doesn't work.
4. Great British Energy
It is unclear how a publicly-owned clean power energy company, Great British Energy, will be achieved in practice. The pledge lacks details on funding, infrastructure, and how it will compete with established energy companies.
5. Antisocial Behaviour
The pledge to provide more neighbourhood police officers to reduce antisocial behaviour and introduce new penalties for offenders is all very well. However, unless the level of bureaucracy imposed on the police is not reduced this will not make much of an impact. Additionally, there are already more than enough laws in place to tackle criminal behaviour.
6. Education
The final pledge is to recruit 6,500 teachers, paid for through ending tax breaks for private schools. This pledge pits public and private education sectors against each other. It also doesn't address issues such as curriculum reform or improving educational facilities.
The six pledges lack the necessary detail and nuance. Labour is desperately afraid about scaring voters away, as such it has created a bland set of pledges with zero details, and no timeframe.
