For decade we have been living under Tories Austerity. For 40 years we have been living under neoliberalism. During that time, we have seen the public sector absolutely ripped to shreds by cuts and mismanagement. We have also seen workers rights neglected, as poverty increased. Whilst the rest of the country is struggling, the rich and powerful live in their glass mansion as their profits increase. For 40 years the choice has been neoliberalism under the Tories or Labour. We now have a chance to change the society we live. A society that works for all of us, not just the few. That change can only be achieved under a socialist led Labour government.
As we inch closer to the General Election on December 12th, each party has been releasing their manifesto, except for the Tories. Unfortunately, they’re hiding their manifesto from the public so it can’t be scrutinised. They know if this election is fought on policies, they will be decimated. Therefore, they’re sticking to lies and slurs to win this election. If the Tories aren’t willing to tell you what another five years of Tory rule will be like, then I will. Under a Tory government we will have a Hard Brexit, which will affect jobs, workers’ rights and increase poverty. We will NOT see an end to austerity as the economy will suffer. We will also not see an end to Brexit as a trade deal with America will take 7 years. Under that trade deal will see parts of the NHS being privatised. A Tory government will give you more dither and more delays, as well as risking your jobs and rights, without funding any of the public sectors.
Unlike the Tories, the Liberal Democrats have released their manifesto. All you need to know is this. They will continue austerity as they believe it is the correct course of action. Jo Swinson wants to nuke everyone. If they win (they won’t) they will revoke article 50. If there is a hung parliament and they were called upon to form a government, they will choose the Tories where they will push for a second referendum. The last time the Lib Dems formed a government, they told the people they will abolish tuition fees. Instead they put it up to £9000. So how can anyone trust the Lib Dems?
Onto a much brighter note. Lets talk about the Labour Manifesto. This manifesto brings me a lot of joy and hope for the future. It really is what this country needs and dying for. If elections were fought on policies, Labour would win by a landslide. It is by far the most superior manifesto in a long time.
The manifesto firstly tackles the environment. Climate change is the biggest challenge mankind has faced ever. We are already seeing the effects climate change is having on our planet, from the poorest countries suffering from terrible natural disasters, to kids dying in our capital from air pollution. People are dying now. For them we are too late. We can’t treat this like it is some kind of game. We must act now and change the lives we are living. If we don’t our future generations will suffer, especially those in the poorest parts of the world.
Labour will tackle climate change through a Green Industrial Revolution. A much needed revolution. Labour will bring net carbon levels down to zero by the 2030s. I am slightly disappointed it is not 2030, but it is a big step forward from the current government target of 2050. To do this Labour will build 7,000 new offshore wind turbines, as well as 2,000 onshore wind turbines. They will build solar panels which could cover 22,000 football pitches. On top of that, they will build new nuclear power for energy security. As we move towards clean energy, Labour will ban fracking and bring in a new tax on oil companies. There is also an aim to stop the sales of combustion engine vehicle by 2030. To prevent the green industrial revolution from being taking over by profit makers, the energy and water system will be brought back into public ownership.
Under the Tory government, we have seen a massive increase in poverty. Over 14 million people living in poverty, with 4.6 million of those being children. In work poverty is also a big problem as 4 million working Brits live in poverty. We now live in a society where food banks are normalised and accepted as part of our community. 1.6 million parcels being given out over the course of a year is a failure of society. Peoples lives have been massively affected by austerity. To such an extent that 120,000 people have died because of austerity. Austerity was a political choice made by the most powerful. Whilst they carried on living their lives, people were dying on our streets. As they got richer, the most venerable suffered. I don’t just hate this government for no reason. My hatred comes from a place of concern for my brothers and sisters around the country. I constantly see people living on the streets, whether it is in Bradford, Leeds or in our capital. They’re asking for small amounts, just so they can survive. Sometimes I literally have nothing on me to give them. Even when I do, whatever I give them is not going to give them a roof over their head. Just a single soul sleeping rough is a failure of the government. They have caused all this suffering. Blood is on their hand.
For me, to tackle poverty, we need to focus on job security, social security and the housing crisis. Labour tackle all three of them. They will improve workers’ rights and give workers more protection in their jobs. By introducing a real living wage of £10 per hour for all workers aged 16 and over, will go a long way in tackling in work poverty. By scraping Universal Credit, Labour will treat those who need help with respect and dignity. To tackle the housing crisis, Labour will build 150,000 new homes annually, with 100,000 of them being council houses. To prevent landlords from applying unreasonable rents, they will cap rent with inflation. Labour will actually tackle homelessness by helping those sleeping rough to turn their lives around.
Austerity has put a massive strain on our public sector, especially the NHS and the police service.
The NHS is overworked and underfunded. Long waiting lists, fewer hospital beds and not enough staffs has allowed the NHS to crumble. On top of that we are seeing parts of the NHS being sold off to the highest bidder. We are also at risk of the NHS to be further privatised if the Tories get their Hard Brexit. The NHS budget will increase by 4.3%. With this, the NHS will be able to move forward with new technologies and more staff, to allow for a better treatment and experience for patients. Labour will also treat mental health on par with physical health conditions. To do this an additional £1.6 billion a year will be invested in new facilities, technologies and treatments. Labour will also abolish charges on prescription drugs. Prescription drugs is a human right, not a privilege, and as such it should be treated as one. We will also see a green NHS with the NHS Forest planting one million trees and more reliant on green energy. NHS Hospitals protecting the lives of humans. NHS Forest protecting the life of this planet.
Under the Tory government, we have seen a massive failure to prevent crime all around the country. Cuts to the police service has meant they are overworked and under prepared to keep everyone safe. However, it is not just the job of police service to prevent crime. It is the role of society. Here is why. People who carry out criminal activities are a product of society. They end of doing these things because of the direction life has taken them. Police officers will only stop a person from actually committing a crime. Society can stop a person from ever thinking of going into crime. Who are at most risk of going into crime? The youth. Labour will increase the number of police officers but that is not enough. Firstly, we need to look at the state of our education. Tory cuts has killed our education system. It is failing our kids. Schools and teachers are struggling and overworked, leading to poor standards and poor results. Labour will increase funding for schools and increase the standards of our education. Kids will have more options when the leave school, whether it is apprenticeship or university. By abolishing tuition fees, kids from low socio-economic backgrounds will be more likely to go to university. The green industrial revolution will create thousands of jobs as well as creating jobs in other sectors. Labour will also increase funding for youth services, which has suffered under Tory austerity. When school finishes, if kids have nothing to do, they are more likely to end up hanging out with the wrong people and be dragged into a criminal lifestyle. Youth services do great work in out society by keeping kids off the streets and teaching them life skills. Finally, by reducing the levels of poverty in this country will automatically reduce crime. There is a clear correlation between levels of crime and levels of poverty. That is how we tackle the crime crisis. Labour is the only party that will help the police service and improve the society we live in.
The manifesto ends with New Internationalism. This is such a key part for me. As a Muslim I watch with pain as my brothers and sisters are dying around the world, in Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Kashmir, Myanmar and China. I have never met these people, but they are my family and I care about them dearly. Muslims are one the most oppressed people of this century. My family in Palestine has been dying for far too long. My family in Yemen are dying at the hands of British arms sold to the Saudis. My family in Kashmir living under a fascist regime, are having their rights stripped away. My family in Myanmar and China are being oppressed and living in cages just because they are Muslims. Then there is my family in Syria, who has suffered because of the decision of our country to follow America into an illegal war. A war which completely left the area in turmoil. Now my family is dying. This is the first manifesto which shows some kind of compassion for my family. Labour will suspend sales of arms to Saudi and Israel and protect the rights of the people of Yemen and Palestine. They will try to find resolution to crisis around the world through peaceful means and not by just going guns blazing. Finally, Labour will immediately recognise the state of Palestine.
When I read this Manifesto, I am filled with joy and happiness at the prospect of a brighter future. For too long we have been living in a depressive state, where our government do not care about us. We still have a long way to go before these changes can be implemented. That is why everyone needs to register to vote by 26th November. On December 12th we all need to go out and vote Labour to create a change for all of us, not just the few. It’s time for a real change.
Aleha
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