We will ensure local communities continue to shape housebuilding in their area,
But brownfield development alone will not be enough to meet our housing need.
Labour is committed to preserving the green belt which has served England’s towns and cities well over many decades.
Under the Conservatives, greenbelt land is regularly released for development but haphazardly and often for speculative housebuilding.
make changes to the Affordable Homes Programme to ensure that it delivers more homes from existing funding;
and support councils and housing associations to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply.
Labour will prioritise the building of new social rented homes
Labour wants exemplary development to be the norm not the exception.
and creating places that increase climate resilience and promote nature recovery.
and end the farce of entire developments being sold off to international investors before houses are even built.
Every town and city across the country has a vital contribution to make to our economy.
But too many areas have been held back because decisions are often taken in Westminster, and not by local leaders who understand local ambitions and strengths.
This means we fail to make the most of the contribution everyone can make, hampering economic growth.
We will also widen devolution to more areas, encouraging local authorities to come together and take on new powers.
Towns and cities will be able to take hold of the tools they need to pursue growth,
and improve living standards.
We will ensure those places have the strong governance arrangements, capacity, and capability to deliver, providing central support where needed.
Local leaders will work with major employers, universities, colleges, and industry bodies to produce long-term plans that identify growth sectors and put in place the programmes and infrastructure they need to thrive.
These will align with our national industrial strategy.
Our approach will require partnership with local authorities.
Local government is facing acute financial challenges because of the Conservatives’ economic mismanagement which sent interest rates soaring, along with their failures on public services.
We recognise good jobs deliver better services that local communities can rely on.
Labour will provide capacity and support to councils,
Improving public services is essential to growing our economy across the country.
Public service workers have a critical role to play, but services are suffering from recruitment and retention crises.
Our industrial strategy will support successful industries across all nations of the UK.
People who have come to the UK to work make a substantial contribution to our economy, our public services, and our communities.
But under the Conservatives, our economy has become overly dependent on workers from abroad to fill skills shortages.
As a result, we have seen net migration reach record highs; more than triple the level than at the last election in 2019.
The overall level must be properly controlled and managed.
Failure to do so reduces the incentives for businesses to train locally.
with appropriate restrictions on visas,
and by linking immigration and skills policy.
And we will not stand for breaches of employment law.
Employers who flout the rules will be barred from hiring workers from abroad.
Conservative policy is incoherent, with decisions on migration, skills and sectoral pay determined in isolation.
The days of a sector languishing endlessly on immigration shortage lists with no action to train up workers will come to an end.
Too many people are out of work or not earning enough.
Long waits for treatment of health conditions, particularly mental health, are contributing to the rise in economic inactivity.
Our system will be underpinned by rights and responsibilities – people who can work, should work – and there will be consequences for those who do not fulfil their obligations.
inclusive for all users,
and works in partnership with other local services.
alongside a proper plan to support disabled people to work.
One in eight young people are not in education, employment, or training, with those lacking good qualifications and with poor mental health facing particular disadvantages.
or support to find work for all 18- to 21-year-olds, to bring down the number of young people who are not learning or earning.
and improve careers advice in schools and colleges.
Greater in-work security, better pay, and more autonomy in the workplace improve the lives of working people and bring substantial economic benefits.
Britain’s outdated employment laws are not fit for the modern economy,
and recent Conservative legislation has fuelled hostility and confrontation leading to the worst period in industrial relations since the 1980s.
For too many people a job does not offer the route out of poverty it should: either because work is insecure, inflexible, or low paid;