THE PARTY MANIFESTO 2019 REAL CHANGE FOR THE MANY NOT THE FEW

CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY 6 FOREWORD BY 8

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 11 ECONOMY AND ENERGY 12 TRANSPORT 21 ENVIRONMENT 25 FOOD 28 ANIMAL WELFARE 29

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 30 FUNDING 31 NHS AND SOCIAL CARE 33 EDUCATION AND SKILLS 38 POLICE AND SECURITY 43 JUSTICE 46 COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 49 FIRE AND RESCUE 52 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT 53

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 56 WORK 57 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 64 MIGRATION 69 SOCIAL SECURITY 71 HOUSING 76

THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT 80 THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT 81

A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 85 A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 86 EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY 88 DEFENCE AND SECURITY 91 INTERNATIONAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE 94

DEMOCRACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY 97 CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN 98 STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY 100 FOREWORD FROM RICHARD LEONARD

As I travel around Scotland, I meet people every day doing everything they can for their families and their communities in the face of enormous challenges. Poverty and necessity have driven thousands more to food banks. Living standards have been squeezed and our essential public services have been undermined.

The austerity imposed by the Tories and the Liberal Democrats was never an economic necessity, it was a political choice. It has resulted in a shocking rise in inequality, with the super- rich getting even richer making almost everyone else poorer. There has been a fundamental redistribution of wealth people, communities, public services and power in the wrong direction. and industries.

In this election, we have a once in a As we explain in this manifesto, that generation opportunity to change all creates the opportunity to invest in this. On December 12, we have the and reform our public services and chance not just to talk about the big sustainably grow our economy. challenges facing Scotland as the Scottish Labour would use these SNP do, but to rise to them and make resources to renew NHS Scotland transformational change. with a focus on improving access to A UK Labour government would GP services and rebuilding mental provide Scotland with around £100 health services. A massive expansion billion of additional resources over of social care will support people in the two parliamentary terms. This huge community rather than leave them in investment will transform Scotland’s hospital beds.

6 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE 120,000 new council and social houses in this manifesto. Policies that are together with a £6 billion investment unashamedly focused on improving the in existing dwellings, will provide lives of the many in Scotland. warm homes for everyone and end I won’t be distracted by the competing homelessness once and for all. These nationalisms of the Tories and the SNP. projects will support tens of thousands Whether you voted to leave or remain of jobs across Scotland. in the , we are the only And these will be quality jobs, Party guaranteeing to put the choice underpinned by a £10 living wage back to the people. The only party irrespective of age and a range of committed to devolving real power from new employment rights from day one Westminster to Holyrood and then onto - rebalancing the economy and the communities and workplaces. workplace. Unlike the Tories and the SNP, we want Labour’s investment will enable a Scotland to stay in the UK, and we new start for the next generation. We want the UK to stay in the European will radically reduce child poverty, Union. The real division in these islands strengthen our struggling education is between those people who own the system, support all students with a wealth and those people who through Minimum Income Guarantee, end age their hard work and endeavour create discrimination on wages and introduce the wealth. free bus travel for the under-25s. This is the most important General One test of a civilised society is how Election in a generation and Scotland we treat our pensioners. Labour’s has the power to decide if investment in public services will ensure or Jeremy Corbyn is Prime Minister. Only everyone is treated with dignity and with a Labour government can we repair able to live long and fulfilling lives. the damage done to our country and our people. This is our chance to secure Labour’s Green Industrial Revolution is real change because when Labour wins, a huge investment, which will put a new Scotland wins. urgency into our action on the climate emergency. Cutting emissions with measures like free broadband, while investing in new jobs to ensure no one or no community is left behind. Richard Leonard Leader of the Scottish Labour Party These are just some of the life- changing commitments you will find

FOREWORD 7 FOREWORD FROM JEREMY CORBYN

This election will shape our country for standards are going backwards and life a generation. It is your opportunity to expectancy is stalling? transform our country, so that it works The Conservatives and SNP are failing. not just for a few, but for all of us. It They have failed on the economy, on is a chance to deliver the real change the climate crisis, on investment for the Scotland and the UK needs. future, on public services. In Scotland, This election is about more than Brexit. the SNP have failed to protect people It’s also about the climate, investment, from Tory austerity and passed on the NHS, living standards, education, cuts rather than use their powers to poverty and fair taxes. Above all it’s a challenge them. chance for real change. And with the Tories’ reckless handling of It’s time to take on the vested interests Brexit, Boris Johnson poses the biggest holding people back. The last decade threat to the UK. has seen a wealth grab by a privileged A UK Labour government will unlock the few, supported by the Conservatives, potential of all those held back for too at the expense of the majority. The long. We will be on your side. big polluters, financial speculators and corporate tax-dodgers have had a free Labour will rewrite the rules of the ride for too long. economy, so that it works for everyone. We will rebuild our public services, by Labour will build a fairer UK that cares taxing those at the top to properly fund for all, where wealth and power are the services we all rely on. shared. We will launch the largest-scale I am not prepared to continue to see investment programme in modern more families without a proper home times to fund the jobs and industries of and more people queuing at food banks the future, which will include additional or sleeping rough on the streets. funding of £100bn for Scotland over I am not prepared to put up with two terms. This is a fully costed communities blighted by lack of programme to upgrade our economy investment, endless cuts to vital and will transform Scotland. services and millions struggling to make We will kick-start a Green Industrial ends meet, while tax cuts are handed to Revolution to tackle the climate the richest. emergency by shifting to renewable We can do better than this. How can energy, investing in rail and electric it be right that in the fifth richest cars, and making housing energy- country in the world, people’s living efficient, to reduce fuel poverty and

8 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE THE FUTURE IS OURS TO MAKE. IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE – FOR THE MANY, NOT THE FEW. TOGETHER, WE CAN DELIVER IT.

excess winter deaths and creating high We will bring in a Real Living Wage of at skilled jobs at the same time. least £10 per hour for all workers, giving 700 thousand Scottish workers a pay We will bring rail, mail and energy into rise – with equal rights at work from day public ownership to end the great one on the job. We will end insecurity privatisation rip-off and save you and exploitation by ending zero-hours money on your fares and bills. contracts and strengthening trade We will deliver full-fibre broadband union rights. free to everybody in every home in Labour will invest in our people, our country by creating a new public communities and public services service, boosting the economy, and provide Scotland with a massive connecting communities and putting injection of funds to help Scotland’s money back in your pocket. under pressure public services. We will end food bank Britain, and lift This includes giving Scotland the children and pensioners out of poverty. funding for the NHS that it needs.

FOREWORD 9 We will end the social care crisis. In And only Labour can rid this country of Scotland we would provide social the Conservatives. care with a 25% increase in funding, This manifesto offers the chance of amounting to £600m a year. This would real change for every generation and give those receiving care and those every community. When Labour wins, providing care the dignity they deserve. the nurse wins, the pensioner wins, the A society that works for all must give student wins, the office worker wins, opportunity to all regardless of gender, the engineer wins. When Labour Wins, race, disability or sexuality. Scotland Wins. We can and we must do better as a country. Labour will protect our security at home and abroad. After years of failed foreign Our manifesto offers hope, security and interventions and wars, we will instead a fairer society. have a foreign policy based on peace, The future is ours to make. It’s time for justice and human rights. real change – for the many, not the few. And we will get Brexit sorted in six Together, we can deliver it. months by giving people the final say – with a choice between a sensible leave deal or remain. We will implement whatever the British people decide. Jeremy Corbyn The choice could not be clearer at this Leader of the Labour Party election. Labour will put wealth and power in the hands of the many. Boris Johnson’s Conservatives will look after the privileged few.

10 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

12 ECONOMY AND ENERGY 21 TRANSPORT 25 ENVIRONMENT 28 FOOD 29 ANIMAL WELFARE

11 ECONOMY AND ENERGY

This election is about The next Labour government will lead the world in the crisis of declining fighting climate change, with a plan to drive up living living standards and the standards by transforming our economy into one low climate and environmental in carbon, rich in good jobs, radically fairer and more emergency. Whether democratic. we are ready or not, we The climate crisis ties us all into a common fate. This stand on the brink of election is our last hope to protect future generations unstoppable change. We from an uninhabitable planet. The Intergovernmental must confront this change Panel on Climate Change has said we need to cut while dealing with the global emissions in half by 2030 to have a chance of growing inequalities and keeping global heating within safe limits – that means insecurities facing people acting now, and acting decisively. across the UK. Labour led the UK Parliament in The Tories wasted a decade serving the interests of declaring a climate and big polluters. Labour will use this crucial next decade environmental emergency. to act. The Tories slashed support for renewable Scottish Labour has led energy while pushing through dangerous fracking. the Now the UK is decades off course on vital emissions to adopt bolder targets targets. and greater urgency in its implementation plans.

12 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE That’s why Labour will kickstart a Green the transition to the sustainable fuel Industrial Revolution that will create one sources that we need. 60% of the UK’s million jobs across the UK to transform onshore wind capacity is in Scotland. our industry, energy, transport, Labour has developed ambitious agriculture and buildings while restoring plans for expanding onshore wind. At nature. Our Green New Deal aims to least 60% of that new capacity will be achieve the substantial majority of our here and could mean around twenty emissions reductions by 2030 in a way thousand new jobs in Scotland. A that is evidence-based and that delivers Labour government would harness a an economy that serves the interests of Green Industrial Revolution to ensure the many, not the few. Scotland and its workers do not miss out on opportunities, like those in , Just as the original Industrial Revolution ever again. brought industry, jobs and pride to our towns, Labour’s world-leading Green We will work in partnership with the Industrial Revolution will rebuild them, workforce and their trade unions with more rewarding well-paid, unionised in every sector of our economy, so jobs, lower energy bills that will reduce that they lead the transition in their fuel poverty, and support whole new industries, creating new, good quality industries to revive parts of our country jobs and making sure that their that have been neglected for too long. extensive skills are passed on to future For some, industrial transition has generations of workers. become a byword for devastation, Scottish Labour would establish a because successive Tory governments, properly resourced statutory Just and now the SNP government, have Transition Commission, independent of been content to sit back and leave changing governments and ministerial the fate of whole industries and whim. The shift to net zero must reflect communities at the mercy of market the experience and expertise of workers. forces. The focus on economic growth, as The SNP has failed Scotland’s low measured by GDP, needs to change. carbon and renewable energy sector in Growth may be fuelled by rising allowing companies such as BiFab to employment, higher workforce lose out on innovative work in offshore participation, and longer work hours. wind. The SNP’s Energy Strategy However, this fails to consider the costs has not delivered on its promises to of the work involved and the health create thousands of jobs in the LCRE impact on workers. The process of industry. Our energy sector has the generating GDP growth often has an opportunity to save this planet. Scottish environmental impact, including more hydro, Scottish wind, and Scottish pollution and waste. wave power are essential to achieving

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 13 We will show the world how prioritising Investment sustainability will not only deliver Delivering the far-reaching change immediate improvements to everyone’s needed to tackle the climate and lives but also offer humanity a pathway environmental emergency will require a to a more equitable and enlightened full mobilisation of national resources, economy: one that protects our both public and private. environment, reins in corporate power, revitalises democracy, unites our Labour will create a Sustainable communities, builds international Investment Board to bring together solidarity and promises a better quality the Chancellor, Business Secretary and of life for all. The scale of the challenge Bank of England Governor to oversee, requires nothing less. coordinate and bring forward this investment – involving trade unions Tackling the destruction of our planet and business. We will ask the Office for is a question of justice – for the Budget Responsibility to incorporate communities at home and abroad climate and environmental impacts who are most affected by it and into its forecasts so that the cost of not for our children who will bear the acting will be factored in to every fiscal consequences if we don’t. Social justice decision. We will press the Scottish will define Labour’s approach. We will Government to make similar changes make sure that the costs of the green to the reporting requirements of the transition fall fairly and are mostly Scottish Fiscal Commission. borne by the wealthy and those most responsible for the problem. The cost of not acting is far greater than the cost of acting. Labour will launch a 2019 saw the blossoming of a global UK wide National Transformation Fund movement calling on politicians to wake of £400 billion and rewrite the Treasury’s up and act on climate change. Labour investment rules to guarantee every welcomed that movement and, as a penny spent is compatible with our government in waiting, we have turned climate and environmental targets – its demands into detailed, credible and that the costs of not acting are plans for real change that will provide fully accounted for too. Of this, £250 and secure opportunities for Scotland’s billion will directly fund the transition industries and its workers through a Green Transformation Fund dedicated to renewable and low carbon energy, transport, biodiversity

and environmental restoration. The financial benefits of this for Scotland will enable the Scottish Parliament to adopt more radical climate change

14 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE targets and action plans, including our workers in those industries affected transformative plans for Scotland’s by automation. housing. 3. Creating a Regeneration Fund to Labour will create a UK National breathe life back into Scotland’s Investment Bank, backed up by a struggling high streets which will network of Regional Development boost local economies and promote Banks, to provide £250 billion of inclusive growth across Scotland. lending for enterprise, infrastructure The bank will be mandated to lend in and innovation over ten years. This line with the mission to decarbonise our will provide the Scottish National economy while increasing productivity Investment Bank with around £20 and creating good jobs across the billion of lending power – ten times the country. amount currently capitalising the SNP’s Scottish National Investment Bank. Smaller loans will be available across the UK through our new Post Bank The Scottish National Investment Bank based in Post Office branches, being developed through legislation in enabling thousands of bottom-up the Scottish Parliament does not go far transformational changes by start-ups, enough. Not only would Labour’s higher small businesses, local co-operatives levels of capitalisation allow for greater and community projects in towns and socio-economic impact, we would villages up and down the country. guarantee representation at every level of the Bank’s infrastructure. We will make sure the UK’s financial sector is helping to tackle the Our plan for the bank will boost emergency rather than fuelling it. We Scotland’s economy through: will do this by improving the fitness 1. Introducing a Worker’s Ownership of our financial authorities to mobilise Fund which will not only enhance green investment and giving them support for cooperative, employee- powers to manage the risk to financial owned businesses and SMEs but stability posed by short-sighted also increase the numbers of these investment in polluting assets. enterprises across Scotland. Just 100 companies are responsible for 2. Harnessing the power of research the majority of carbon emissions. We and development by increasing won’t be afraid to tackle this wanton investment into the benefits of corporate destruction by taking on artificial intelligence and automation. the powerful interests that are causing In doing so we will also ensure climate change. We will change the investment in skills and training to criteria a company must meet to be protect and develop the jobs of listed on the London Stock Exchange

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 15 so that any company that fails to Energy contribute to tackling the climate and Energy use in buildings accounts environmental emergency is delisted. for 51.2% of Scotland’s total emissions, making it the single most polluting sector. We will develop the Levelling Up Across the Country recommendations of our 30 by 2030 Many parts of Scotland would need report to put the UK on track for a net this level of investment even without a zero carbon energy system within climate and environmental emergency. the 2030s – and go faster if credible Years of under-investment and neglect pathways can be found. We will deliver have left too many communities nearly 90% of electricity and 50% of feeling powerless and too many areas heat from renewable and low carbon left behind with low quality jobs, weak sources by 2030 in the UK – and productivity and slow economic growth. Scotland has the potential to lead the way. The climate and environmental emergency is a chance to unite the We will build across the UK: country to face this common challenge • 7000 new offshore wind turbines by mobilising all our national resources; financial and human. But we will only • 2000 new onshore wind turbines succeed by ensuring that everyone • Enough solar panels to cover 22,000 shares in the benefits. Labour will make football pitches sure that investment is spread evenly across the whole country and give • New nuclear needed for energy powers and funding to every region and security. nation of the UK including Scotland. We will trial and expand tidal energy We will bring about a radical and invest to reduce the costs of decentralisation of power in the UK so renewable and low carbon hydrogen that local people and communities are production. given far greater control over their own As part of implementing 30 by 2030, lives and prospects. In Scotland, that Scottish Labour would invest £6 billion means extending beyond from the UK’s National Transformation Holyrood to all of our communities. Fund to upgrade almost all of Local Government has its part to play in Scotland’s 2.6 million homes to the securing a prosperous economic future highest energy efficiency standards. for the people of Scotland. This would reduce the average household energy bill by £417 per household per year by 2030,

16 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE dramatically reduce fuel poverty and Ownership create 35,000 jobs. We will pursue a We will not achieve the promise of a fair zero carbon homes standard for all new and sustainable economy if we repeat homes in Scotland. the mistakes of the carbon era, when As part of heat decarbonisation, we will the capture of a natural resource for roll out technologies like heat pumps, private profit created a vastly unequal solar hot water and hydrogen, and and polluting economy dominated by invest in district heat networks using powerful vested interests. waste heat. It’s not just carbon. From the depletion To balance the grid, we will expand of fish stocks to the burning of the power storage, and invest in grid Amazon, profit has proved a poor enhancements and interconnectors. regulator for use of our natural resources. We will expand distributed and community energy, and immediately Whether it is barriers to renewable and permanently ban fracking. energy connecting to the grid or the billions of pounds of bill-payers’ money Wherever necessary we will support being siphoned off in dividends to energy workers through transition and wealthy shareholders, Tory privatisation guarantee them retraining and a new, of our utilities has been a disaster for unionised job on equivalent terms and both our planet and our wallets. conditions. We will put people and planet before We will introduce a windfall tax on oil profit by bringing our UK energy companies, so that the companies that systems into democratic public knowingly damaged our climate will ownership. In public hands, energy help cover the costs. In Scotland, this will be treated as rights rather than fund will be used to accelerate the new commodities, with any surplus green industries that are needed by reinvested or used to reduce bills. workers as much as the environment. We will not allow the North Sea workers Public ownership will secure democratic to be abandoned in a move to a greener control over nationally strategic economy. This fund will safeguard a infrastructure and provide collective future for their skills and communities. stewardship for key natural resources.

In the case of energy, it will also help deliver Labour’s ambitious emissions targets. Whereas private network companies have failed to upgrade the grid at the speed and scale needed, publicly owned networks will accelerate

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 17 and coordinate investment to connect Industry and Innovation renewable and low carbon energy while Averting climate catastrophe offers huge working with energy unions to support economic opportunities. But the UK energy workers through the transition. will only benefit from a Green Industrial Under Labour’s plans: Revolution with the right policies.

• A new UK National Energy Agency will Over the past three decades, the UK has own and maintain grid reduced our emissions at the expense infrastructure and oversee the delivery of domestic industry by offshoring of our decarbonisation targets. production. This is an accounting trick, not a solution. It does not protect the • 14 new regional and devolved nation climate, it is unfair to other countries and Energy Agencies will replace the damages jobs and communities at home. existing district network operators and hold statutory responsibility for Labour will take full responsibility for our decarbonising electricity and heat and carbon footprint instead of passing the reducing fuel poverty. buck. We will instruct the Committee on Climate Change to assess the emissions • The supply arms of the Big Six energy the UK imports as well as those it companies will be brought into public produces, and recommend policies ownership where they will continue to to tackle them, including making UK supply households with energy while industry the greenest in the world. helping them reduce their energy demand. This will be more effective The Tories and the SNP have presided than the stalled SNP National Energy over a lost decade of productivity and Company plan. allowed the UK and Scotland to fall behind in the green technologies of the The Tories allowed the proceeds of future. North Sea oil to be squandered on tax cuts for the richest and captured in The most recent figures published for profits for the few, instead of investing year 2017 show that Gross Expenditure them in our future. We now stand on Research and Development for at an even greater crossroads in the Scotland as a percentage of GDP was development of our national economy. lower than that for the UK, EU and Under Labour, our green future will OECD countries. Scotland’s spend be owned by all of us. Whenever per head of population was also lower public money is invested in an energy than the UK. This is a direct result of an generation project, the public sector SNP government failing to embrace will take a stake and return profits to the innovation and harnessing Scotland’s public. full potential. Labour will make sure this never happens again.

18 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE We will establish a Foundation Industries driving innovation and strong economic Sector Council to provide a clean development. Scotland has the ability and long-term future for our existing to lead the way in innovation and only heavy industries like steel and glass Labour can carry us there. and fund R&D into newer technologies The SNP’s industrial failures have also like hydrogen and carbon capture and led to poor use of procurement. The storage. proportion of contracts won by smaller A thriving steel industry will be vital to firms has remained largely unchanged the Green Industrial Revolution. Labour in Scotland since 2011. Changing how will support our steel through public Scotland’s public contracts work is not procurement, taking action on industrial just about helping employees, it is about energy prices, investing in R&D, building supporting employers as well. Scottish three new steel recycling plants in the Labour is committed to ensuring UK and upgrading existing production more small businesses are part of the sites. procurement supply chain

We will ensure that new technologies In addition, we will use the power of aren’t just invented here, but are public procurement to strengthen local engineered, manufactured, and exported jobs and supply chains and require all from here. We will put home grown companies bidding for public contracts innovation at the heart of procurement to recognise trade unions, pay suppliers across the UK to support local on time and demonstrate equalities best sourcing and re-shoring, so that every practice. investment we make strengthens our As we transition, we will ensure the UK’s manufacturing and engineering sectors automotive sector isn’t left behind by and supply chains and creates hundreds the electric revolution by investing in of thousands of good, unionised jobs three new gigafactories and four metal here at home. This approach will be reprocessing plants. By supporting particularly welcome in Scotland where UK-made electrical steel we will ensure the SNP’s lack of planning has led to robust support for an end to end UK extensive off-shoring of renewable supply chain. We’ll also take on the investment. global plastics crisis by investing in a Unlike the SNP or the Tories, Scottish new plastics re-manufacturing industry Labour has a coherent Industrial - creating thousands of jobs, ending Strategy. One which will ensure exports of plastic waste and reducing investment led growth in R&D - putting our contribution to ocean pollution. Scotland’s economy in a strong global Labour’s progressive trade strategy position. We believe in an industrial will help develop the industrial base strategy at the heart of government, needed to deliver high-quality exports

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 19 and the decent jobs that go with them. Labour also want to inspire a will champion exports from generation of world-leading scientists the environmental goods and services by removing barriers that prevent sector, building on the 300,000 jobs young people, especially girls, that the sector already sustains. We from entering the STEM (science, will uphold the highest environmental technology, engineering and and social regulations in all our trade mathematics) workforce. relations, not the downgrading of standards as ‘barriers’ to trade.

For small businesses, we will ensure no quarterly reporting for businesses below the VAT threshold.

Skills

Our Green Industrial Revolution will create at least one million well-paid, unionised jobs across the UK. We will train people in the skills they need to access these jobs of the future.

Apprenticeships are a powerful tool to grow our economy, promote equality and create a skilled workforce for a dynamic Scottish economy of the future.

Labour believes we should have a strategic approach, ensuring that the right incentives exist for businesses to invest in high quality apprenticeships, specifically in sectors the economy needs to grow, which is why we support the proposed Climate Apprenticeship Scheme.

Labour’s investment will ensure apprenticeships are tied closely to the labour market and a proper manufacturing strategy.

20 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE TRANSPORT

Labour will build a Cutting emissions will drive Labour’s transport policies sustainable, affordable, at every level of government, with public expenditure accessible and integrated focussed on promoting environmental sustainability transport system, and contributing to decarbonisation. founded on the principle Our transport programme is focused on creating a that transport is an better, more accessible public transport system. By essential public service. improving public transport, Labour will help people to Transport is responsible become less reliant on their cars, for our better health, for more than a third of for a cleaner environment and to improve quality of Scotland’s greenhouse life in our towns and cities. gases, while estimates Bus services carry more passengers than any other suggest air pollution mode of public transport and provide a lifeline for causes upwards of 2,500 many people, but they have been devastated by deaths every year. Tory and SNP cuts. Despite the growing social and environmental need to encourage public transport use, annual bus passenger numbers in Scotland have fallen by 106 million over the last 10 years.

Labour will end the cuts and ensure that local councils have the funding to provide the transport services

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 21 their area needs. Scottish Labour Labour’s Green Industrial Revolution. recently secured a legislative change We will ensure that decisions about to lift the ban on local councils running Scottish routes are made in Scotland their own bus services and setting up and the will municipal companies. Scottish Labour have a stake in the publicly owned rail would pursue a dedicated fund to company, giving Scotland a voice in support local councils with the up-front cross-border rail links. costs of running bus services. Labour will also unlock capacity Scottish Labour would introduce a free and improve cross-border rail links, bus pass for under-25s. This will help including working towards extending young people to access a range of the Borders railway to Carlisle and opportunities and services and support by completing the full HS2 route bus services. In the long-term it is our to Scotland. A Scottish Labour goal to introduce universal free bus government in Holyrood would deliver travel. This will encourage a shift to rail electrification and expansion, and public transport and help address the consult with local communities to decline in bus passenger numbers, re-open branch lines and stations. We allowing communities to rebuild their will invest in a direct rail link to bus networks. Airport. At a UK and Scottish level, Labour will deliver improvements for Labour will ensure that these major rail passengers by bringing our railways infrastructure projects are a model back into public ownership. This will of good employment practice and enable us to make fares simpler and pay due regard to the environmental more affordable, rebuild the fragmented impact. railways as a nationally integrated In government Labour and Scottish public service, cut the wastage of Labour will promote the use of rail private profit, improve accessibility for freight in order to reduce carbon disabled people, ensure safe staffing emissions, air pollutants and congestion levels and end Driver Only Operation. on the roads and expand the provision Our publicly owned rail company of publicly owned rail freight services. will steer network planning and For Scotland’s island communities investments. It will co-ordinate main ferry services are a vital lifeline. line upgrades, re-signalling, rolling Scottish Labour in Holyrood will invest stock replacement and major projects. in Scotland’s ferry fleet and take all Our model will ensure continuity of lifeline services into public hands. We skills, jobs and supply chain capacity will produce a Scottish Ferry Building to reduce costs, improve productivity Programme which sets out a long-term and support the economic benefits of

22 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE plan for vessel replacement and port government would bring together upgrades. This will provide certainty for transport and land-use planning to the shipbuilding sector and ensure that create towns and cities where walking our ferry fleet and infrastructure are fit and cycling are the best choice: safe, for purpose. healthy, inclusive, efficient, economical and pollution-free. We will introduce We will protect island communities by measures to ensure the zones around retaining Air Discount Schemes, Road our schools are safer, with cleaner air. Equivalent Tariffs on lifeline ferry routes, and seek to reduce fares to Orkney and Scottish Labour support the Shetland. introduction of Low Emission Zones, and believe they should be rolled out Labour recognises the Davies in a way that both reflects the severity Commission’s assessment of pressures of the crisis we are facing and the on airport capacity in the South East principles of Just Transition. of England. Any expansion of airports must pass our tests on air quality, noise Phasing out the use of diesel and petrol pollution, climate change obligations cars will be key to reducing transport and countrywide benefits. We will emissions and tackling air pollution, examine fiscal and regulatory options to but the take-up of ultra-low emission ensure a response to the climate crisis vehicles remains too slow. The SNP has in a way that is fair to consumers and failed to produce a strategy to deliver protects the economy. their aim of phasing out new petrol and diesel cars by 2032. Labour will Taking transport back into public position the UK at the forefront of the hands will facilitate better integration development and manufacture of ultra- across Scotland and between different low emission vehicles and support their modes of transport. This will allow sale. In government Scottish Labour for the development of integrated would work to remove the barriers ticketing schemes in Scotland and lay preventing people from accessing the groundwork for a national multi- less polluting vehicles by increasing modal smartcard, as well as supporting charging points and providing support better timetable co-ordination. Scottish to ensure people are not priced out of Labour would make it cheaper and green vehicles. easier to get to work and abolish the SNPs Workplace Parking Levy. Labour will reform taxi and private hire services, including introducing national Under a Labour government standards of safety and accessibility Scotland’s infrastructure budget will and updating regulations to keep pace be significantly boosted, providing an with technological change and close opportunity to invest in active travel loopholes to ensure a level playing field. infrastructure. The next Scottish Labour

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 23 Labour will adopt an ambitious Vision Zero approach to UK road safety, striving for zero deaths and serious injuries. At every level of government Labour will invest to make our neglected local roads, pavements and cycleways safer for the everyday journeys of both drivers and vulnerable road users.

We will take action to end nationality- based discrimination in seafarer pay.

24 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE ENVIRONMENT

Scottish Labour would Scottish Labour supports measures that fully deliver take the necessary a circular economy. This includes the introduction action to deliver on of deposit return schemes. We will move towards a our climate change polycarbonate ban and requiring food manufacturers ambitions and protect our and retailers to do more to reduce waste. environment, boosted by We recognise that tackling air pollution involves difficult Labour’s Green Industrial decisions, but when it contributes towards 2,500 Revolution. Ambition early deaths in Scotland every year, urgent action is is good, but we believe necessary. Our vision is for clean and fair transport it has to be backed up systems, where public transport, walking, and cycling with clear delivery plans are valued as much as motor vehicles. because investing in our environment is investing A healthy environment is a basic right which we are in our future. We need all entitled to, and should be able to defend. Scottish to defend and extend Labour sought to amend the Planning Bill to give existing environmental communities the right to challenge decisions that protections, which are will have a severe impact on our environment. Labour threatened by trade deals will also protect our peatlands and introduce carbon and corporate lobbying impact assessments into all policy processes. To tackle for deregulation.

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 25 the ecological crisis, we will also develop legislate to restrict the amount of land a coherent Biodiversity Action Plan for that one individual can own, and prevent post-2020 for land, air and sea, with land ownership via offshore tax havens. adequate funding, which the whole We will also complete a public register country can coalesce around before it is of landowners as a necessary step too late. to improve transparency and enable meaningful land reform. We will develop new preventative and planning provisions to address the Scottish Labour would develop a causes of urban flooding and a strategy Community Land Fund in line with the for minimising the impact. recommendations in UK Labour’s ‘Land for the Many’ proposals along with long- Scottish Labour would support the term revenue support for community designation of new National Parks buy-outs. We will use regulation and (including coastal, marine and city parks) intervene when land is not used in ways while strengthening local accountability that serve the public interest. through new models of governance. We will seek to strengthen other protected area designations, with an eco-systems Rural economy based approach which will guard existing wildlife sites and join up important Tory and SNP governments have taken habitats, while also ensuring more rural communities for granted with people can enjoy living closer to nature. chronic underinvestment in transport, broadband and public services. Rural

infrastructure and industry have been Land neglected – particularly in Scotland.

Scottish Labour believes land wealth is Labour will invest in broadband, housing as much an issue as monetary wealth and transport to create jobs and ensure being in the hands of the few. Scotland’s that the nation’s prosperity is felt beyond land ownership patterns are some of the our large towns and cities. most unequal in the world. We need to Many of the social and economic ensure more land is in the hands of the challenges rural areas faced are many to help create a fairer sustainable underpinned or exacerbated by poor Scotland. transport links and connectivity. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016 Labour will give everyone in Scotland made some modest on land access to free full-fibre broadband. Less reform, but more radical measures than 7% of properties in Scotland are are required. We broadly support the currently full fibre, and the coverage in recommendations of the Scottish Land rural areas is much lower. This will benefit Commission. Scottish Labour would

26 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Scotland’s rural communities, who are key to developing and enhancing their still waiting for superfast broadband due respective regions’ economies, and to the Scottish Government’s failure to Scottish Labour would ensure they have deliver for rural areas. the resources they need.

Scottish Labour supports an “outside-in” Rural poverty is a major issue, but it approach to digital infrastructure, which is often invisible in communities and would prioritise rural areas. This will help underestimated by indices such as to close the digital divide and address SIMD. Low wages combined with the inequalities it has caused, by giving high transport and fuel costs affect rural areas a competitive advantage. disposable income. Labour’s plans to take public transport back into public Labour will ensure that the benefits ownership will make it easier to regulate of our investment in transport reach prices. Scottish Labour’s plans to rural areas. Taking transport back into retrofit all houses to the highest energy public hands so it is run for the benefit efficiency standards, backed by the of passengers rather than profits will National Transformation Fund, would particularly benefit rural areas, where significantly reduce fuel poverty and fuel many vital routes are not profitable for bills among those living in rural areas. private operators. Scottish Labour would introduce a ‘rural- Many rural communities have fragile proofing’ process so that all our laws, economies and a shortage of high-skill, policies and programmes consider their well-paid jobs, which contributes to impact on rural communities. depopulation. Scottish Labour would invest in public services in rural areas. Tourism remains an important industry We will also support sectors such as for Scotland, and our magnificent agriculture, forestry and fisheries, scenery draws a large number of visitors building on existing skills and natural to rural Scotland. Scottish Labour will assets. We will ensure that public develop a new sustainable national plan money spent in these sectors delivers for tourism based on improving our public goods, providing social and offer to visitors while reducing resource environmental benefits. use and waste, reducing the transport impact, protecting our natural and Scottish Labour would support cultural heritage. Public money will also Scotland’s crofting community and require improvement in the quality of its heritage. We will work to empower jobs by raising employment standards, crofting communities. strengthening the quality of life in rural The Enterprise areas. Agency and the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will be

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 27 FOOD

Food and food The upcoming Good Food Nation Bill is an opportunity production impacts to create an ambitious piece of legislation bringing on a range of policy together these different aspects of food policy, and areas from health to Scottish Labour will be pushing for this to deliver the our economy to our change needed. We believe this should introduce a environment. Developing statutory right to food, backed up by an independent a world class food statutory body, clear duties on public bodies and system requires a bold sectoral measures and targets. cross-cutting approach. Scottish Labour recognises the link between the reform of food production and sustainability, including energy use, water, biodiversity, soil, food waste and land use. We believe agricultural subsidies currently fail to support progress and sustainability in the sector. We need a system which encourages more environmentally friendly food production.

We will reconfigure funds for farming and fishing to support smaller traders, local economies, community benefits and sustainable practices.

28 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE ANIMAL WELFARE

The Tories will sacrifice Labour has an ambitious animal welfare manifesto animal welfare standards available in full online. in trade deals with other We will stand up for all animals – wild, farmed, and pets. countries. We will close the loopholes and ban fox hunting, end the cruel live export of farmed animals, and improve the rights of pet owners in whatever their accommodation. We will tackle wildlife crime.

A GREEN INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 29 REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES

31 FUNDING 33 NHS AND SOCIAL CARE 38 EDUCATION AND SKILLS 43 POLICE AND SECURITY 46 JUSTICE 49 COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 52 FIRE AND RESCUE 53 DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

30 FUNDING

Universal public services, Public services do more than make sure everyone collectively provided has the basics. They create shared experiences and through general taxation strengthen social bonds. They make our lives richer and free at the point of and more fulfilling. use for all, are how we A decade of Tory cuts has pushed our public services guarantee the right to a to breaking point. Labour offers real change – we good life. will make the UK’s public services the best and most extensive in the world. Additional funding from a UK Labour government will enable a transformation in Scotland’s public services.

We will pay for this by creating a fairer taxation system, asking for a little more from those with the broadest shoulders, and making sure that everyone pays what they owe.

We will reverse some of the Tories’ cuts to corporation tax while keeping rates lower than in 2010.

As at UK level, Scottish Labour will make the case for those who earn the most to pay a little more income

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 31 tax in the next Scottish Budget, while reduction in their carbon footprint. freezing National Insurance and income Our most valuable assets are the tax rates for everyone else. dedicated people who work in our We will end the unfairness that sees public services, but their pay has been income from wealth taxed at lower cut in real terms. Labour will restore rates than income from work. VAT is public sector pay to at least pre- a regressive tax that hits the poorest financial crisis levels (in real terms), by hardest and we guarantee no increases delivering year-on-year above inflation in VAT. pay rises, starting with a 5% increase, to reward and retain the people who We will launch the biggest ever do so much for us all. Scottish Labour crackdown on tax avoidance and will expect the Scottish Government evasion and reform the inefficient to follow this lead in devolved pay system of tax reliefs. negotiations. Public services must also be accountable. Labour will end the current presumption in favour of outsourcing reserved public services and introduce a presumption in favour of insourcing. And we will stop the public getting ripped off taking back all PFI contracts.

When services are procured from the private sector, companies will be assessed against best practice public service criteria, including provisions for collective bargaining, fair wage clauses, adherence to environmental standards, effective equalities policies, full tax compliance and application of pay ratios. In the public sector, we will enforce maximum pay ratios of 20:1.

We will repair the damage the Tories have done to our social fabric, with a £150 billion Social Transformation Fund. The financial consequences for Scotland will enable the repair and replacement of aging buildings. Public buildings will be modernised to ensure a

32 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE NHS AND SOCIAL CARE

NHS Scotland are cancelled every month and the four- hour waiting time target in A&E has not The National Health Service is one been met for two years. Under the SNP of Labour’s proudest achievements. hospital capacity has also consistently The right to free at the point of use decreased – there are now 1,500 fewer healthcare, universal and comprehensive hospital beds than there were ten years in scope is socialism in action. ago. The SNP Government has failed to properly plan for the future of our NHS. Within the next four years health and Investment and reform social care services are facing a potential are urgently needed. £1.8 billion black hole and Scotland’s Labour is committed to securing the Auditor General has repeatedly warned future of our health service. UK Labour that current ways of working are government spending would lead to financially unsustainable. more than £2 billion additional health The SNP’s own waiting time guarantee funding. Scottish Labour wants to see has been broken over 230,000 times, the resultant funding for Scotland used leaving patients waiting longer for to strengthen the long-term delivery of treatment. Thousands of operations care and improve Scotland’s health.

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 33 Scottish Labour recognises that the Labour will establish a UK generic drug issue of women’s health has long been company. If fair prices are rejected for overlooked and under-researched. We patented drugs we will use the Patent will establish a dedicated Women’s Act provisions, compulsory licenses and Health Fund to promote research, research exemptions to secure access to advice and services for women-specific generic versions. conditions. We will ensure that all women NHS staff are at the heart of our health have access to a safe, legal abortion. service but they are under increasing Scottish Labour has introduced a Bill that pressure to deliver quality care in difficult aims to create a universal system of free circumstances. While NHS workers cope access to period products for all. with rota gaps caused by the thousands of vacant posts the SNP’s promised Primary and community care is crucial integrated workforce plan has been to our vision for NHS Scotland. Patients delayed again and again. should be able to access a GP on time so we will invest in the primary Scottish Labour wants NHS Scotland to care workforce, improving numbers be the best place to work so we would in the integrated team, such as invest in staff training, putting in place physiotherapists and pharmacists and workforce plans so that staffing levels encouraging more doctors to choose reflect demand. general practice as a career choice. EU nationals are a valued part of our UK Labour’s commitment to full-fibre NHS and social care workforce, and we broadband will improve access to digital cannot afford to lose them. Following health in primary care, supporting GP the Tories shambolic handling of the access particularly in rural areas. We Brexit negotiations, Boris Johnston now support the integration of IT systems so wants to sell off control of our NHS to that patient’s histories are available in Donald Trump as part of a post-Brexit real-time to all clinicians in primary and trade deal. A Labour government will secondary care. never let this happen – our free, publicly owned health service is only safe in We also want to stop the expensive Labour’s hands. over-reliance on the private sector. A new estates plan would end private- finance building projects and build the Social Care infrastructure needed in communities to deliver 21st century healthcare. Labour’s Social care has for too long been the investment would also be used to tackle poor relation of our health and care the £914 million building maintenance system. One in 24 people in Scotland backlog that the SNP has allowed to receive funded care support, and they build up across our NHS estate. deserve better.

34 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Around half a million hospital bed days A new Scottish Care Service will ensure and over £120 million are lost every that delivery remains local and is year because of delays to hospital democratically accountable through discharges. Every day on average, 1,400 Integration Authorities. The reforms mostly older adults are stuck in hospital would end charges for care at home and when they should be cared for in the allow close working with NHS services so community or a home setting. that the needs of individuals with chronic long-term illnesses, such as advanced Quality social care relies on the dementia, are not overlooked. For those workforce. Yet, carers have some of wishing to have control over their own the worst salaries in our economy, with care, a range of care options will exist often insecure contracts and inferior to enable self-directed choices. We terms and conditions. The result is high also support a lifetime cap on personal staff turnover and vacancy rates which contributions to care costs. the fragmented market in social care services will never be able to resolve. Scottish Labour want to establish a new statutory workforce forum A UK Labour government is committed with the aim of setting standards to improving adult social care. The result and improving workforce planning for Scotland would be a transformational and staff governance. For those not 25 per cent increase of £600 million currently covered, this forum will allow every year. Scottish Labour would use for new sectoral collective bargaining this to invest in and reform our broken arrangements to address wages, terms care system. First and foremost, this and conditions. funding should be used to provide more caring capacity, ensuring proper time for Scottish Labour would also introduce care visits and bringing dignity back to a comprehensive support strategy for care users and carers alike. informal carers. All carers, including young carers, need more help, including Scottish Labour’s ambition is to reform free travel and better mental health the system by ending the market forces support. in social care and creating a Scottish Care Service with increased public Scottish Labour recognises the benefits delivery of social care. All providers of that a ‘Right to Rehab’ would bring to care, including co-operatives and third- those people with long-term conditions. sector organisations, will operate within a This includes support for self-managing new framework for social care, ensuring conditions with better access to greater consistency and improved specialist staff and support services. standards for care, such as those set out We believe it is possible to properly shift in UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter. the balance of care from expensive and needless stays in hospital to dignified

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 35 care at home through a better-funded work, health and social care, justice and new structure of social care. the third sector, so that no one falls through the gaps.

NHS services also require additional Mental Health investment, particularly for people Scotland is experiencing a mental health with dementia and children and young crisis with too many people struggling people who are experiencing long to access the help and support that they waits for treatment. We will use the need. Gaps and failures in the provision investment generated by a UK Labour of mental health support can have tragic government to properly fund crisis consequences. Scotland has the highest services to operate on a 24/7 basis. More rate of suicide in all of Great Britain and alternatives to hospital admission are in 2018, over 100 young people died due needed in community settings, including to suicide. the development of rapid response nursing teams. Despite endless pledges from the SNP Government, progress on improving Supporting the mental wellbeing of mental health services remains too young people, as well as providing early slow. Last year, over 5,000 children and intervention when support is needed is young people waited over 18 weeks to a priority. Scottish Labour campaigned access specialist services and 7,000 for access to school-based counselling had their referral rejected with few other for all young people but, one year on treatment options. from the SNP committing to the policy, thousands of children across the country We all have mental health and mental still don’t have access. illness can affect anyone, but people living in deprived areas are more likely We will invest in suicide prevention to be prescribed medication for mental programmes including research, staff health problems and are three times more training and additional funding. Good likely to experience inpatient psychiatric employers and trade unions recognise care than people living in the least the benefit of workplace policies that deprived areas. support mental health, including mental health first aid training, but workplace Scottish Labour would act to improve practice is variable. Scottish Labour and expand mental healthcare, would invest in a new programme to strengthen links with the third sector and support these workplace initiatives. make it easier for people to get support in their own communities. Families who have lost loved ones to suicide are themselves at risk of poor We are committed to achieving better mental health. It is essential that health integration between education, social services can offer bereavement support.

36 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Health Improvement implementation of a social responsibility levy on alcohol sales. Health inequalities are about fundamental social justice; they are not Further action is also needed on merely about health services but relate reducing smoking. Better data collection principally to the social determinants of smoking habits is needed to of health, which determine healthy or implement a person-centred approach unhealthy lifestyles and behaviours. in smoking cessation services. Scottish Labour’s workplace policies and Labour would look at the retail density investment in housing, education and of tobacco outlets in disadvantaged communities will enable the root causes areas, increase tobacco-free spaces, of health inequalities to be addressed. support staff training and discourage sponsorship by health-harming The Tories and the SNP are failing commodities. to tackle the growing drugs crisis in Scotland. Drug deaths in Scotland have Failing to tackle childhood obesity more than doubled since 2008 and the is inflicting a health crisis on a whole latest figures show that in 2018 more generation. A UK Labour government than 1,000 people died from drug misuse will enforce stricter rules around the in Scotland. A Labour government will advertising of junk food, and Scottish establish a Royal Commission to develop Labour supports measures to regulate a public health approach to substance price promotions of foods high in fat, salt misuse, focusing on harm reduction and sugar. There needs to be improved rather than criminalisation. access to physical activity and Scottish Labour wants to see greater investment In Scotland, addiction services need in services that fully engage local to be better integrated with mental communities. health treatment. Scottish Labour want increased resources for community- Screening is an essential preventative based interventions and restoration of health measure, and delays in alcohol and drug partnerships’ funding bowel and breast cancer screening levels to replace the over £40 million of should be eliminated. Local access real terms cuts that services have faced is also necessary, and should not be since 2014/15. undermined by centralising services.

Alcohol consumption is still at harmful Creating a healthier Scotland would levels in Scotland so we support be a priority for Scottish Labour. We restrictions on licensing, marketing, will engage all our public services at labelling and affordability. To improve the national and local level to end alcohol treatment and early intervention the damage that poor health does to programmes for families with children people, families and communities across Scottish Labour want to see the Scotland.

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 37 EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Education makes our Whether it is businesses finding people with the right economy stronger, our skills, a tech start-up making our economy more society richer and our dynamic, or more people in better paid work and able people more fulfilled. to contribute to public services, we all benefit from an educated society.

But education isn’t just vital to our economy – it lets people develop their talents, overcomes injustices and inequalities and helps us understand each other and form social bonds.

Early years

The SNP’s implementation of their early learning and childcare expansion is behind with the staffing and infrastructure needed, and there have been warnings that the system will not be delivered effectively.

Scottish Labour’s alternative vision would mean a properly financed and expansive rollout of provision –

38 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE our tax policies will enable more money wellbeing. Pupils with additional support to be spent directly on education needs are also being poorly served, with from the early years onwards. We will fewer specialist teachers and support match a planned increase in pre-school staff available. entitlement, but will begin to move Scottish Labour would reinvest in the towards the flexible, all-age, year-round, next generation by replacing core wrap-around affordable childcare that funding for schools, making sure Scottish families need. that the Pupil Equity Fund, designed Our workforce plan would focus on to boost the attainment of those recruiting and retaining highly qualified from deprived backgrounds, is truly staff. We will establish a national additional and does not simply plug framework through sectoral collective holes. bargaining, to deliver attractive pay, Our vision for Scottish education also terms and conditions, as well as training means putting more teachers and and career progression. support staff, including specialist Scottish Labour supports the Give teachers for those with additional Them Time campaign and stands with support needs, into our schools and parents who wish to defer their child’s providing local authorities with enough entry into primary one. We are in favour funding to make certain that those of legislation to automatically entitle children who need additional support eligible children to an additional funded are not left behind. year of nursery when their parents use their legal right to defer their child’s entry to school. Curriculum and attainment

It is increasingly difficult for those who work in education to assess the School years academic progress of Scotland’s Cuts to per pupil spend have fuelled children. Scotland has been removed educational inequity at every level in from international measures of our schools. attainment and the Scottish National Standardised Assessment (SNSA) is not Cuts to core budgets have created fit for purpose. a teacher recruitment and workload crisis, as well as an explosion of A Scottish Labour government would multilevel teaching. Teachers are also scrap the SNSA for Primary 1s, in line experiencing increased stress levels and with the wishes of Parliament, and those working in education generally review it at P4, P7 and S3 levels. We have reported that being in the sector will also restore the Scottish Survey of is putting pressure on their health and Literacy and Numeracy and re-enter

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 39 Scotland into internationally recognised closing the gap a key performance measurements of literacy, numeracy benchmark of the school inspection and science (PIRLS and TIMSS). system.

The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) was We would also reverse the decision to a bold policy conceived by Scottish charge schools for exam appeals, as this Labour, but it has been undermined disadvantages pupils from state schools. by poor implementation from the Scottish Labour would end all state SNP. Teachers have not received the subsidy to private independent schools, support and resources they need to as a contribution towards achieving a successfully deliver the curriculum. more socially just and inclusive society.

There is now a narrower choice of Scottish Government statistics show subjects available for pupils in high that a quarter of children live in families school and attainment is falling. Exam that cannot afford to save for rainy pass rates at Higher have fallen for days and nearly 20% live in families the fourth year running – a situation that cannot take a holiday away from that is now a trend. When it comes to home once a year. Expensive school the senior phase, a Scottish Labour trips can create division between government would urgently address privileged and less well-off pupils and the reduction in subjects which pupils ultimately, inequity of opportunity. A can study, as well as halt the increase in Scottish Labour government would teaching in classes covering three and introduce an extra-curricular access four different levels. fund, which will provide grants for young people from low income backgrounds to access school trips that are currently Narrowing the gap unaffordable.

Inequality in attainment must be Labour’s ban on zero hours contracts removed. The gap between those will prevent such a path from being from privileged and less well-off classified as a positive destination for backgrounds is still too high, and young people leaving school. looked after children also continue While we await the outcomes of the to face lower attainment rates. Independent Care Review, we believe Scottish Labour’s aspiration is to end there is already a consensus on some educational inequality in a generation. short-term actions that should be Scottish Labour would create a new implemented now. Local authorities statutory obligation on government to need sufficient resources to provide report on the attainment gap between the loving and supportive environments children from lower and higher income that looked after young people need to backgrounds, and make success in thrive.

40 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Scottish Labour’s plan for free access Scottish Labour believes that colleges to period products gives statutory have a vital role to play in lifelong underpinning to the requirement for learning, enabling everyone to upskill schools, colleges and universities to or retrain at any point in life. We would provide period products for free. ensure that they are properly resourced and that there is parity of esteem with institutions in the higher education Free school meals sector.

Scottish Labour would seek to extend The SNP has deprioritised funding for the current universal provision of free universities and as a consequence school meals to include all school years higher education in Scotland has using the financial consequences of suffered from sustained cuts. Students Labour’s expansion of the scheme have borne the consequence of this in England. We will also roll out the as the government have invested provision of free meals during holidays, increasingly less in them. ending the scandal of children going Scottish Labour supports maintaining hungry during the school holidays. the two year post-study work offer to international graduates so we can keep talent developed in UK universities and Colleges and Universities make sure students choose to study in Scotland’s Further Education (FE) Scotland. colleges are facing a funding crisis and Scottish Labour would create an financial problems are set to deepen in education system fit for the 21st the years ahead. century by providing the investment Since the SNP took power, and their that further and higher education in subsequent botched regionalisation Scotland desperately need. of the sector, further education in Scotland has suffered. Colleges have faced underinvestment, students Investing in students have seen their numbers plummet by The SNP has done incredible damage 120,000 and staff numbers have also to our student support system. They declined. The government has also let students down by scrapping their failed to allocate the funds necessary to pledge to scrap student debt in 2007, maintain the college estate. again in 2012 with their ‘reforms’ to loans, and once more with their timid response to the Student Support Review.

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 41 The Review should have been a start of all ages to engage in learning, with towards creating equity and fairness to a focus on bringing about change in our system. However, the government’s their lives and communities. Austerity watered down response to the Review cuts have decimated this sector with a was disappointing. considerable loss of expertise.

Scottish Labour would create a system Scottish Labour would reinvest in these that works for the many, and that services and ensure the youth work begins by implementing a Minimum sector is appropriately funded to make Student Income (as recommended by certain that all young people have the the Student Support Review) tied to our personal development support they proposed real living wage of £10 per need to succeed in education, training hour. This will benefit Scottish domiciled and employment. full-time students studying at college We would strengthen the voices of and university at either further or higher young people by ensuring they are education level up to degree level. represented on relevant national and Scottish Labour has brought forward local bodies with a statutory right to a Bill to regulate rents in the private consultation. We will develop a national sector and we will apply these youth work development strategy to provisions to student accommodation. recruit, train and sustain a secure and We will also encourage universities qualified workforce. to educate students on their housing Workers need better skills that reflect rights and how they can take steps to the challenges of automation and enforce them. Student housing must the real economy, so we can improve also be a strategic planning issue productivity, pay and work-life balance, and not an afterthought. Educational yet a quarter of the workforce is institutions must be part and parcel of receiving no training. the dialogue, as well as members of the community. Scottish Labour would develop a new National Plan for Adult Learning with national frameworks and local Lifelong learning delivery. This will include workforce learning building in initiatives such as It’s essential that Scotland has the skills Scottish Union Learning, as well as it needs for the changing economy. All placing duties on employers to raise individuals must also be supported to educational standards. realise their full potential, at any age.

Community Learning and Development (CLD) supports primarily disadvantaged or vulnerable groups and individuals

42 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE POLICE AND SECURITY

The SNP has failed to Local officers report feeling that resources available give Police Scotland the to deal with routine response and community support and resources engagement activities are increasingly stretched they need to fight crime over larger geographical areas. Their important and keep Scotland work to strengthen connections with communities safe. Their approach to is being hampered by the organisational pressures centralisation has led to and diminished resources of the police and other falling officer numbers, public services. with local divisions Under the SNP, violent crime in Scotland is rising. bearing the brunt of cuts. Without more financial support, senior officers have warned that further officers will have to be cut. Scottish Labour would invest in Police Scotland so it can deliver a balanced workforce, allowing officers to focus on policing, enabled by well-resourced support staff who are so critical to their success.

We would stop the cuts to local divisions. We would ensure that officers working in local areas not only feel valued but also have sufficient resources to take part in proactive, partnership work across their community.

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 43 To be effective, our police must services, combining neighbourhood serve their communities and work expertise with international intelligence. collaboratively with youth workers, We will ensure the powers exercised by social workers, mental health the security services are proportionate services, schools, drug rehabilitation and used in accordance with human programmes and other public agencies. rights. We will review the circumstances A police force working within our requiring judicial warrant. We will communities, with the capacity to ensure agencies are accountable and gather local intelligence, is also the strengthen the powers of the Joint frontline of our domestic security - the Intelligence and Security Committee. first eyes and ears of effective counter- We will constrain the right of the Prime terrorism. Continued cuts put our Minister to suppress publication of domestic security at risk. committee reports. We would place local democratic A Labour government will review our accountability at the heart of a modern, security strategies. responsive police force with a statutory role for local government in local We will review the Prevent programme policing plans and a renewed focus on to assess both effectiveness and policing by consent. potential to alienate communities and consider alternatives including Police Scotland is among those with the safeguarding programmes to protect least capital funding of all police forces those vulnerable to the recruitment in the UK. This has resulted in Police propaganda and ideologies of the far- Scotland using out of date ICT, a run- right and others who promote terror as down fleet and police stations that have a political strategy. been forced to close or are no longer fit for service. Scottish Labour would give We will review the Protect programme Police Scotland the capital funding it to ensure that public authorities take needs. appropriate security measures, without alienating the communities they serve.

We will evaluate the mobile phone Security trials with the aim of introducing an A Labour government will address emergency alert system. the current UK government’s failure We will use our diplomatic services, our to take effective measures against aid budgets and our international a growing problem of extreme or violent radicalisation. We will ensure standing to promote peaceful solutions closer counter terrorism co-ordination to conflicts and tackle the risks arising between the police and the security from poverty, natural catastrophes and

44 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE population displacements. Our national a co-ordinating minister and regular security is linked to global threats. We reviews of cyber-readiness. will respect international law and avoid We will review the role and remit of needless military interventions. the National Cyber Security Centre to Our security co-operation determine whether it should be given arrangements with EU neighbours are powers as an auditing body, with the essential for our safety. If the British ability to issue warnings to private people confirm their decision to leave, and public sector organisations and we will prioritise agreement of a new designate risk. UK-EU Security Treaty. We will also review the structures and Our border security prevents serious roles of the National Crime Agency, to crimes including child abduction, strengthen the response to all types of people trafficking, smuggling of drugs economic crime, including cybercrime and guns, terrorism and modern and fraud and ensure a modern, day slavery. The Tories have further technologically advanced police service weakened our borders, cutting another that has the capacity and skills to 200 jobs over the last four years. They combat online crime, supported by a have failed to deliver exit checks. In new national strategy on cybercrime place of an effective border control and fraud. they have required landlords, teachers and medical staff to work as unpaid immigration officers, creating a hostile environment.

A Labour government will review our border controls to make them more effective.

Cyber Security

Cybercrime and cyberwarfare are growing, all around the world. Every aspect of our lives, from the NHS, to our nuclear facilities, from transport systems to communications networks are vulnerable.

A Labour government, ever more dependent on digital technology, will overhaul our cyber security by creating

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 45 JUSTICE

Last year around a Crime rates reflect the society we live in. Tory austerity quarter of a million continued and exacerbated by the SNP has eroded crimes were recorded the fabric of our local communities. in Scotland. Non-sexual Where the Tories and SNP have failed, UK and Scottish violent crimes increased Labour governments will take action to address the by 10% causes of crime and end the epidemic. We will invest in our communities and public services to build the stronger, fairer society that keeps us all safer. Investing in our criminal justice services, Scottish Labour would focus on crime prevention and early interventions, giving people the best chance of rehabilitation.

Smarter justice requires cross-government action to reduce the impact of adverse childhood experiences and to break the vicious cycle of poverty, inequalities and crime. We would champion a joined-up, trauma informed approach, fostering close working relationships between criminal justice and education authorities, health services and others. We will build on

46 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE the brilliant work done by the Violence must confront the reality that we need Reduction Unit and ensure vulnerable to invest in a modern prison service people get the support they need. This that responds to challenges such as is only possible with a government our aging prisoner population. We must committed to boosting support for properly fund alternatives to custody public health, mental health and early in order to deliver justice and public years services. safety.

Prison is not the best place to address Legal Aid cuts mean essential legal the drug addictions, mental illnesses help is too often denied. We supported and debts that lead many people into the Scottish Government’s review into crime. However, a third of community Legal Aid, to create a simpler, more sentences are not completed - the sustainable system but their lack of system is failing to respond to the timely response is risking access to chaotic lives of many individuals who justice. Scottish Labour would seek to receive them. This is also reflected in bring in a new way of setting fees paid the number of short sentences, and lack to solicitors that ensures solicitors are of robust alternatives, being given out in paid fairly for the hours they work and Scotland. people have access to the Legal Aid that they need. When individuals present a danger to the public then they must be put Scottish Labour wants to ensure in prison. However, well-resourced Scotland has a justice system that community sentences that include the the public can have confidence in. We wider support individuals need including need to reform and improve sentencing through care, social work and skills policy in Scotland, ensuring there is building can help get people’s lives back transparency in the system so that on track and reduce reoffending. This, victims and their families can have rather than ineffective short sentences, confidence in it. While it is part of the is what will make Scotland safer. Sentencing Council’s remit to promote awareness and understanding of Scotland’s prisons are dangerously over sentencing policy and practice among capacity. Assaults on staff and stress the public, we believe individual victims related illness are rising, and attempts and their families need much more to prepare prisoners for outside life are individual support and advice. We being harmed, as authorities struggle would work closely with the Sentencing to cope amid a lack of resources from Council to develop the most effective the SNP. The presumption against ways to do this. 12-month sentences is welcome but will not be the silver bullet required to stop Violence against women and girls the rising prison population. The SNP is unacceptable but often their

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 47 experiences are made much worse by Laird shipyard workers and introduce a the criminal justice system. Victims Public Accountability Bill. We will ensure of rape and sexual assault have been fair compensation for the victims of badly let down by forensic services contaminated blood products across and the courts. Scottish Labour would the UK. tackle the failings identified in forensic services for victims of rape and sexual assault as a matter of urgency and seek to deliver tailored support throughout the court process.

Recent research into the need for reform of Scotland’s legal system is welcome and must be understood and responded to in the context of low rape conviction rates.

Violence towards public-facing staff in the private and public sector is a growing problem. Scottish Labour introduced legislation that started to address this issue, and we will strengthen the law further with comprehensive new legislation. We will also reform culpable homicide legislation.

Labour will establish public inquiries into historical injustices including blacklisting and Orgreave, and ensure the second phase of the Grenfell Inquiry has the confidence of all those affected, especially the bereaved families and survivors.

We will ensure that the recommendations of inquiries into undercover policing operations recognise cross-border operations.

Labour will release all papers on the Shrewsbury 24 trials and 37 Cammell

48 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Scottish Labour would While some politicians can seem distant and properly fund local detached, our local councillors live among us, councils after a decade shopping on the same high street, using the same of devastating SNP parks and leisure centres and sending their children to cuts so that they can the same schools. Thriving local councils are vital to breathe new life into local Labour’s democratic transformation of the economy. communities and high Councils are the collective voice of local communities streets. and on the frontline in delivering many essential public services.

Tory cuts, which have been passed onto local councils by the SNP at four times the rate of cuts to the Scottish Government budget, have plunged our councils into crisis and pushed many services to breaking point.

Further to this, councils now have control over less of their funding. SNP government funding that must be spent on specific policy initiatives now makes up an increasing proportion of total revenue funding; in

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 49 total, in 2019/20, councils will spend community, and explores ideas of local 12.1% of their revenue funding meeting devolution and the scope of rates relief national priorities up from 6.6% in to drive up environmental standards 2018/19. The result is councils making and fair business practices. We would larger reductions to services outside also seek to develop a retail sector Scottish Government priorities. These industrial strategy. include economic development, waste We welcomed the social isolation management and planning services, strategy but local councils, which are which are still important for maintaining key to building cohesive communities, the health, safety and wellbeing of are bearing the brunt of SNP budget residents. cuts. Many of the public places and Scottish Labour would not only stop the institutions that previously brought cuts to our local authorities, we would communities together, such as empower local government and provide libraries, community centres, and it with other ways to raise money. We public parks, have been closed. would scrap the Council Tax and replace Scottish Labour would properly it with a progressive alternative based fund our local government so that on up to date valuations, and give the people and services that build councils new revenue raising powers cohesive communities are protected. including land value capture, and finally Libraries must be preserved for future implementing the tourist tax. generations, with updated Wi-Fi and computers. We would also halt the rapid Our high streets are being decimated closure of public toilets across Scotland. by store closures and jobs losses. High streets are more than places to shop, Labour will stop Crown Post Office they are places we go for culture, closures and bring Royal Mail back company and character. Labour will into public ownership at the earliest revive high streets by stopping bank opportunity, reuniting it with the Post branch closures, banning ATM charges Office and creating a publicly owned and Scottish Labour would empower Post Bank run through the post office local government to put empty shops network to ensure every community has to good use. easy access to face-to-face, trusted and affordable banking. Business rates are causing real issues for high street retailers and others but Labour will build community wealth the Scottish Government’s approach by giving communities the powers to review has been narrow and deeply and resources they need to keep unambitious. Scottish Labour would public spending circulating in the adopt an approach that engages with local economy, rather than being the challenges outlined by the business sucked offshore to corporate tax

50 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE havens. Scottish Labour would extend community control in the private sector by supporting local and community businesses. We would bring forward a proper legal definition for co-operative ownership, while the SNIB like other regional development banks would be charged with helping support our co- operative sector.

Young people have been let down by the Tories and SNP. Too many young people now have nowhere to go, nothing to do and no one to help them with their problems. Scottish Labour would build properly funded, professionally staffed youth services and guarantee every young person has access to local, high quality youth work.

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 51 FIRE & RESCUE

The Scottish Fire and The current use of retained firefighters is also under Rescue Service (SFRS) pressure. Four out of five of Scotland’s 356 fire stations has lost more than 700 rely wholly, or in part, on RDS or volunteer firefighters. officers as a result of However, under new proposals being examined by the SNP’s approach the government and SFRS, firefighters could take on to centralisation, and expanded roles that would include tackling terrorism, appliances are being left giving medical assistance and playing a greater role in unavailable to deal with the community. fire calls because of a Scottish Labour would stop cuts to SFRS and undertake lack of staff. an evaluation of the capacity of whole-time, volunteer and retained firefighters to take on any additional roles and the impact of taking on these roles on the core services that they provide. Firefighters must have the capacity to train and maintain their current core competencies before taking on any additional roles.

Scottish Labour would ensure that building regulations, in particular those related to cladding, are fit for purpose and properly enforced.

52 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Culture funding to pay proper trade union rates for the job and allow workers the Those living in more deprived areas and opportunity to join a recognised trade those with a lower income are less likely union. to attend cultural events and participate in cultural activities. It is therefore essential that local culture is open to as Media many people as possible, so that those who do not have the means to travel A Labour government will ensure a further afield are able to access it. healthy future for our all public service broadcasters, including BBC Alba and However, the SNP Government’s S4C. We will protect free TV licences for underfunding of our communities has over-75s. resulted in massive cuts to cultural services across Scotland. A free and fair press is vital to protecting democracy and holding the powerful to The next Scottish Labour government account. will properly fund councils and ensure arts and culture are open and available We will address misconduct and to everyone. We will also require the unresolved failures of corporate organisations in receipt of public governance raised by the second stage

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 53 of the abandoned Leveson Inquiry. We BDI will roll out the remaining 90- will take steps to ensure that Ofcom 92% of the full-fibre network, and is better able to safeguard a healthy acquire necessary access rights to plurality of media ownership and to existing assets. BBS will coordinate the put in place clearer rules on who is fit delivery of free broadband in tranches and proper to own or run TV and radio as the full-fibre network is rolled out, stations. We will take action to address beginning with communities least well- the monopolistic hold the tech giants served by existing broadband networks. have on advertising revenues and will Unitary taxation of multinationals, support vital local newspapers and including tech giants will pay for the media outlets. operating costs of the public full-fibre network. The plan will boost jobs, tackle We will consult media sector workers regional inequality, and improve quality and trade unions to establish an inquiry of life as part of a mission to connect into the fake news undermining trust in the country. media, democracy and public debate. We will enforce a legal duty of care to protect our children online, impose fines Digital on companies that fail on online abuse and empower the public with a Charter Digital and technological of Digital Rights. advancements bring challenges, but also huge opportunities.

In the age of AI and automation, digital Sport connectivity will underpin our future Physical activity is key to achieving economy. We will need world-class healthy lifestyles but too often low- digital infrastructure in which everyone income families are priced out of can share. participating in sports clubs and Labour will deliver free full-fibre activities. broadband to all by 2030. Poor levels of participation are We will establish British Broadband, with exacerbated by deprivation. Scottish two arms: British Digital Infrastructure Labour believe that work to encourage (BDI) and the British Broadband Service individuals into sport needs to target (BBS). We will bring the broadband- more deprived areas and ensure relevant parts of BT into public that elite sporting role models are ownership and guarantee the jobs representative of all backgrounds. of all workers in existing broadband Local government budgets have faced infrastructure and retail broadband a decade of SNP cuts while demand work. for services continues to rise. Scottish

54 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Labour wants to end the cuts to Civic Society councils and see local services, such as In the years of austerity it was non- leisure centres and sports in schools, government organisations that often properly resourced. held the social fabric of our society It is clear that activity in school plays a together, protecting our communities key part in encouraging young people, from even greater harm and providing and especially girls, to be physically precisely targeted support. As we active. Schools should be given the rebuild our public services we will funding to deliver increasing levels of support and maintain the social capital free and affordable access to sport so values of these organisations. that all can benefit. We will introduce a Right to Play ensuring that all children have access to spaces to play and be active. We would support councils to keep school facilities open over school holidays.

Scottish established the Active Schools Network in 2004 and we want to see the results of UK Government expenditure in school sports and healthy living programmes to be used for school sports in Scottish schools.

Access to appropriate physical activity for individuals with long-term conditions can be limited across parts of Scotland. Scottish Labour would address the gaps in provision

Gambling

A Labour government will curb gambling advertising in sports and introduce a new Gambling Act fit for the digital age, establishing gambling limits, a levy for problem gambling funding and mechanisms for consumer compensations.

REBUILD OUR PUBLIC SERVICES 55 TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY

57 WORK 64 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 69 MIGRATION 71 SOCIAL SECURITY 76 HOUSING

56 WORK

Work should provide Under the Tories, pay has stagnated while insecurity a decent life for all, and inequality are rising. guaranteeing not just Work no longer guarantees a way out of poverty - of dignity and respect in the over one million people in poverty across Scotland, workplace, but also the there were 640,000 working-age adults in poverty income and leisure time after housing costs. Real wages are still lower than to allow for a fulfilling life before the financial crisis, while dividends paid to outside it. shareholders are up 85%.

Labour will eradicate in-work poverty in our first term by tackling the structural causes of poverty and inequality, such as low pay and high living costs, while raising the floor provided by our social safety net.

Too many people have found themselves in a spiral of debt as wages fall and housing costs rise. Labour will cap the total amount that can be paid in overdraft fees or interest on a loan

We will introduce a Real Living Wage of £10 per hour for all workers aged 16 and over, giving 700,000 people

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 57 in Scotland a pay rise. Labour will use income assessment for those on savings to public finances to help small Universal Credit, and better access to businesses manage the extra cost. mortgages and pension schemes.

We will give workers a stake in the We will tackle late payments that companies they work for – and a leave small businesses and the self- share of the profits they help create employed waiting months to be paid, – by requiring large companies to including strengthening Scottish set up ‘Inclusive Ownership Funds’ procurement rules to ban late payers (IOFs). Up to 10% of a company will from public procurement. be owned collectively by employees, with dividend payments distributed equally among all, capped at £500 a Ministry for Employment Rights year and the rest being used to top up Throughout history, working people the Climate Apprenticeship Fund. The in the UK have improved their lives by cap will rise to ensure that no more coming together to demand rights than 25% of dividends raised by IOFs is and protections. Even after decades redistributed in this way. in which workers’ rights have been And we will explore other innovative cut back and their unions’ capacity ways of responding to low pay, to defend them have been slashed, including a pilot of Universal Basic the Tories believe that workers’ terms Income. The early preparatory work and conditions should be dictated by in Scotland will benefit from a UK employers on a ‘take it or leave it’ basis. government that can require the The SNP’s Fair Work Action Plan is more cooperation of HMRC and the DWP to about rhetoric than protecting workers properly test the pilot models. rights. The standards are inadequate, and Growing numbers of the workforce are they lack any effective means by which self-employed. While for some this the Scottish Government’s commitments brings freedom and autonomy, it can and the obligations of employers can be also bring insecurity. Self-employed monitored and enforced. As is so often people will benefit from a broad range the case with the SNP, they emphasise of our policies, from childcare and full- process over real change. fibre broadband to face-to-face lending We are proud of the trade union and business support through our Post movement’s historic achievements in Bank. giving people a voice at work through We will also seek to develop tailored collective action. It is not just part of our support and protections for the self- history; it is also part of our future. Only employed, including: collective income by shifting the balance of power back protection insurance schemes, annual

58 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE towards workers will we achieve decent • Introducing a legal right to collective wages, security and dignity at work. consultation on the implementation of new technology in workplaces The next Labour government will irreversibly transform people’s lives • Banning zero-hour contracts and for the better through the biggest strengthening the law so that those extension of workers’ rights in history. who work regular hours for more than 12 weeks will have a right to a regular We will give working people a voice contract, reflecting those hours. at the Cabinet table by establishing a Workers will have a right to a minimum Ministry for Employment Rights. contract of 16 hours average per week. We will start to roll out sectoral collective We will help people balance work and bargaining across the economy, bringing family life by: workers and employers together to agree legal minimum standards on • Increasing wages through sectoral issues such as pay and working hours collective bargaining; that every employer in the sector must • Requiring breaks during shifts to be follow. Sectoral collective bargaining will paid; increase wages and reduce inequality. Negotiation, not ‘take it or leave it’. This • Requiring cancelled shifts to be paid will stop good employers being undercut and proper notice for changes in by bad employers. hours;

We will tackle insecurity by: • Giving all workers the right to flexible working; • Giving everyone full rights from day one on the job • Extending statutory maternity pay from 9 to 12 months; • Strengthening protections for whistleblowers and rights against unfair • Doubling paternity leave from two dismissal for all workers, with extra weeks to four and increasing statutory protections for pregnant women, those paternity pay. going through the menopause, and • Introducing statutory bereavement terminally ill workers leave, guaranteeing workers time • Ending bogus self-employment and off to grieve the loss of close family creating a single status of ‘worker’ for members or following miscarriage; everyone apart from those genuinely • Introducing 4 new bank holidays self-employed in business on their own celebrating our four patron saints’ days; account, so that employers cannot evade workers’ rights; and banning • Reviewing family-friendly employment overseas-only recruitment practices. rights, including rights to respond to family emergencies.

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 59 We will make sure people are treated representatives against unfair equally at work by: dismissal and union members from intimidation, harassment, threats and • Requiring employers to devise and blacklisting; implement plans to eradicate the gender pay gap – and pay inequalities • Repeal anti-trade union legislation underpinned by race, sex and/or including the Trade Union Act 2016 disability – or face fines; and create new rights and freedoms for trade unions to help them win a • Requiring employers to maintain better deal for working people; workplaces free of harassment, including harassment by third parties; • Simplify the law around union recognition; • Increasing protection against redundancy for people wherever they • Give union reps adequate time for work. union duties.

• Giving statutory rights to equalities We will develop collective income representatives; protection insurance schemes for the self-employed. We will introduce a • Setting up a Royal Commission to maximum workplace temperature to bring health (including mental health) protect workers and require employers and safety legislation up to date; to take counteracting measures. • Banning unpaid internships. Scottish Labour would seek to build We will remove unfair and unnecessary on this new framework by using restrictions on trade unions, allowing devolved powers to develop a new people to come together and speak up Good Work Plan. This plan will not only on issues that affect them at work. encourage good practice, it will require compliance. In particular, we would We will: establish a Scottish Monitoring Agency • Allow trade unions to use secure to strengthen and enforce public electronic and workplace ballots; procurement rules on employment standards. • Remove unnecessary restrictions on industrial action; For years, the UK has been in breach of our international obligations. We • Strengthen and enforce trade unions’ will bring UK law into line with the right of entry to workplaces to International Labour Organisation organise, meet and represent their standards it has ratified, so the UK leads members and to recruit; the world, instead of engaging in a race • Ban union-busting, strengthen to the bottom. protection of trade union

60 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Working Time happening under the Tories or the SNP.

Time off to rest, relax and be with family That doesn’t just hurt workers who lose is essential to a happy and fulfilling life, out, it is also bad for employers who but workers in the UK put in some of the follow the law and are undercut by longest hours in Europe. unscrupulous competitors prepared to break it. Labour will tackle excessive working hours. Within a decade we will reduce Strong trade unions are the best and average full-time weekly working hours most effective way to enforce rights at to 32 across the economy, with no work. Labour will also introduce a new, loss of pay, funded by productivity unified Workers’ Protection Agency increases. to enforce workplace rights, including the Real Living Wage. It will be given We will meet this target by: extensive powers to inspect workplaces • Ending the opt-out provision for and bring prosecutions and civil the EU Working Time Directive and proceedings on workers’ behalf. enforcing working time regulations; We will keep employment tribunals free, • Setting up an independent Working extend their powers, and introduce new Time Commission to advise on raising Labour Courts with a stronger role for minimum holiday entitlements and people with industrial experience on reducing maximum weekly working panels. time;

• Mandating bargaining councils to Rewriting the Rules negotiate reductions in working time Social justice also means levelling the • Investing to increase productivity playing field between small and big and making sure workers share the business, and ensuring that democracy benefits. and accountability are valued across Scottish Labour would enact the society, including in the private sector. Statutory Instrument required to Businesses are the heartbeat of our compel large shops to close on economy, creating jobs, wealth and New Year’s Day and support the UK innovations. commitment to review unpaid overtime. But the upper echelons of corporate Britain have been corrupted by a Enforcement culture in which the long-term health of a company is sacrificed for a quick Rights don’t mean anything unless buck for a few: a short-term culture they’re enforced, but that is not has seen some treasured companies

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 61 asset-stripped, leaving workers, small be sold as a going concern rather than business suppliers and pensioners in collapsing into insolvency. the lurch. Too often, the link between Audits are vital to corporate reward and long-term performance is accountability, but the auditing industry broken for short-term greed. is dominated by a few players riddled Labour will take on short-termism and with conflicts of interest. Labour will corporate greed, making sure good separate audit and accounting activities businesses are rewarded not undercut. in major firms and impose more robust We will rewrite the rules of the economy rules on auditors. and ensure everyone plays by them. We will tackle regulatory capture and We will amend the Companies Act, streamline regulation by creating a new requiring companies to prioritise Business Commission, responsive to long-term growth while strengthening parliamentary select committees. protections for stakeholders, including smaller suppliers and pension funds. We will tackle late payments that leave Social Justice Commission small businesses waiting months to be Labour will usher in a new era of social paid, including strengthening Scottish justice in the UK. Everyone in our procurement rules to ban late payers society should be allowed to flourish from public procurement. regardless of what class or postcode We will require one third of boards to be they are born into, or the colour of their reserved for elected worker-directors skin. and give them more control over But that’s impossible when you cannot executive pay – because when those meet your most basic needs and have who depend on a company have a say to choose between eating and heating in running it, that company does better your home. The UK is one of the richest and lasts longer. countries in the world, but under the We will introduce a broader “public Tories millions of people can’t make interest test” to prevent hostile ends meet. takeovers and asset-stripping They tell us we shouldn’t care about weakening our industrial base and inequality, because social mobility destroying treasured home-grown allows those who work hard to get on. companies. And we will give workers But nobody becomes a billionaire by a voice on public bodies such as the hard work alone, and as inequality has Competition and Markets Authority. grown, it has become more entrenched. We will let struggling companies go into For Labour, the true measure of fairness protective administration, so they can is not social mobility but social justice.

62 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Implicit in social mobility is the idea that poverty and inequality are acceptable provided some people can climb the social ladder.

Social justice, on the other hand, demands that we end poverty, reduce inequality and create a society in which the conditions for a fulfilling life are available to everyone.

Labour will replace the Social Mobility Commission with a Social Justice Commission, based in the Treasury, with wide-ranging powers to hold us, and future governments, to account.

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 63 WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

The Labour Party is The Labour Party is the party of equality, committed the party of equality, to achieving a world free from all forms of bigotry and committed to achieving discrimination. Whether campaigning on the streets a world free from or passing legislation in government, Labour is the all forms of bigotry only party to consistently stand with women, disabled and discrimination. people, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and Whether campaigning LGBT+ communities. on the streets or The Tories have failed to tackle society’s burning passing legislation in injustices. Instead they inflicted injustice after injustice government, Labour on women, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) is the only party to and LGBT+ communities and disabled people. Over consistently stand with 85% of the burden of Tory/Lib Dem cuts have fallen on women, disabled people, the shoulders of women. people from ethnic minority backgrounds, Labour will create a new UK Department for Women and LGBT+ communities. and Equalities, with a full time Secretary of State, responsible for ensuring all our policies and laws are equality impacted assessed in order to deliver a fairer society for women and all under-represented groups. We will establish a modernised National Women’s

64 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Commission as an independent equal pay legislation for the first time. advisory body to contribute to a Labour The new Workers’ Protection Agency government. working with HMRC will ensure that employers take equal pay seriously We are guided by our firm commitment and take positive action to close the to the Human Rights Act and gender pay gap. Women will no longer Convention on Human Rights that have be left to take enforcement action by been consistently attacked by the themselves through the courts. Tories. We will ratify both the Istanbul Convention on preventing domestic • Require all employers with over 250 abuse and the ILO Convention on employees to obtain government Ending Violence and Harassment at certification on gender equality or face work. further auditing and fines. By the end of 2020, we will lower the threshold to In Scotland, we will also seek to workplaces with 50 employees, whilst strengthen the delivery of the socio- providing the necessary additional economic duty and fully incorporate support for small businesses. human rights treaties into Scots law, with clear mechanisms for resolving • Revolutionise parents’ rights by problems and remedying infringements. increasing paid maternity leave from We also support the incorporation of nine to 12 months, doubling paternity the Convention on the Elimination of leave to four weeks and extending all Forms of Discrimination Against pregnancy protection. We will ban the Women (CEDAW). dismissal of pregnant women without prior approval of the inspectorate. We will put class at the heart of the UK’s equality agenda and create a new • Transform the workplace and require ground for discrimination on the basis all large employers to have flexible of socio-economic disadvantage. working, including a menopause policy, and consider changes to sickness and absence practices. Women • Enable positive action for recruitment Labour will put women at the heart of to roles where employers can justify our government and programme. Next the need for more diversity and year marks the 50th anniversary of the introduce a right for all workers to Equal Pay Act, yet women still earn 13% request flexibility over their hours from less than men. Labour will take action to the first day of employment. close the gender pay gap by 2030. • Ensure that the single-sex-based We will also: exemptions contained in the Equality Act 2010 are understood and fully • Deliver gender pay equality by making enforced in service provision. the state responsible for enforcing

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 65 • Create a safer society for women and Labour will ensure a pathway to prioritise domestic abuse as a health economic inclusion for all, putting an end issue, introducing 10 days paid leave to all forms of racism and discrimination for survivors of domestic abuse. In in our economy and society. Inclusion Scotland, we will continue to make will be at the heart of its UK programme the case that women’s refuges and for government. We will: other services receive the long-term • Seek to end the politics of hate and sustainable funding they need. We will commission an independent review also seek to strengthen the criminal into the threat of far-right extremism law on hate crimes to cover misogyny and how to tackle it. and violence against women and girls. • Put wealth and power in the hands of • Increase women’s representation the many, extend pay gap reporting across parliament by building on to BAME groups and tackle pay the Equality Act, passed by the discrimination on the basis of race. last Labour government, and enact Section 106 so that all political parties • Commit our National Investment publish diversity data about electoral Bank, together with the Scottish candidates. National Investment Bank, to address discrimination in access to finance, which many BAME business owners Race Equality face and will take action to ensure that BAME and women business owners Achieving racial equality is a bedrock have access to government contracts Labour value. It has never been more and spending. important than in the current climate. We are proud of the way our country • Create an Emancipation Educational has been shaped by the contributions, Trust to educate around migration and cultures and values of people from colonialism, and to address the legacy around the world. of slavery and teach how it interrupted a rich and powerful black history which The Tories have fanned the flames is also British history. Scottish Labour of racism using difference to divide. would ensure that our curriculum and They have made BAME people pay cultural institutions address Scotland’s the price for their austerity project and role in colonialism and slavery. scapegoated refugees and migrants. Never was this starker than with their ‘hostile environment’, leading to the Religious discrimination scandalous treatment of the Windrush generation. Labour is the party of equality: we will work to build a society free from anti- Semitism and Islamophobia.

66 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Only recently, we have seen concerning ensure that disabled people can be incidents of sectarian behavior in independent and equal in society, with Scotland. It is right that in light of such choice and control over their own lives. instances of intolerance, progress • Transform the workplace for disabled needs to be made to properly address people by requiring that all employers these issues in criminal law. be trained to better support them, Scottish Labour would also target while introducing mandatory disability sectarianism through education, and by pay-gap reporting for companies with working with local communities. over 250 employees.

• End disability discrimination and update the Equality Act to introduce Disability with Dignity new specific duties including disability Over the last 10 years, through a leave, paid and recorded separately catalogue of punitive welfare policies, from sick leave. the dignity of people with disabilities • Recommend that the Equality has been degraded by the Tories. Not and Human Rights Commission one, but two, UN reports describe the prepare a specific code of practice government as having committed on reasonable adjustments to “systematic violations” of the rights supplement existing codes. This of disabled people. Families have also will provide an appropriate balance struggled because of the SNP’s failure between flexibility and clarity on to prioritise social care. how ‘reasonable’ cost is determined. More disabled people are now living in The code will also set timescales poverty and people have died because for implementation of reasonable of the UK Government’s choice to make adjustments to end the long and the most vulnerable pay for tax cuts distressing delays experienced by for the few. Labour will end this cruelty, disabled workers. restoring the protections that disabled • Reinstate the Access to Elected Office people and their families – many of Fund to enable disabled people to run whom shoulder the cost of their care for elected office. – should expect in one of the richest countries in the world. • Adopt a British Sign Language Act, giving BSL full legal recognition in law. Labour supports the principle of ‘nothing about us without us’. We will: We will work with employers, trade unions and public services to improve • Champion the social model of awareness of neurodiversity in the disability throughout government. workplace and in society. Through our new Department for Women and Equalities, we will

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 67 In Scotland, the SNP has failed to LGBT+ rights inside or outside the EU, deliver the housing needed to allow such as retaining and promoting the disabled people to lead dignified Human Rights Act. We will respond fast and independent lives. Individuals and firmly wherever LGBT+ people face have reported feeling frustrated and violence or persecution internationally demoralised by the housing system and appoint a dedicated global and the Equality and Human Rights Ambassador to the Foreign Office on Commission described the lack of LGBT+ issues. accessible housing as a “hidden crisis”. In Scotland, Labour would deliver A Scottish Labour government would access to consistent sex education commit to a target of 10% of new which considers LGBTI relationships housing in Scotland to be built to- and sexual health. accessible home standards and work We are fully committed to a strategy for with local authorities to ensure they dealing with homophobic, transphobic have enough funding for the housing and biphobic bullying in our schools, adaptations that people need. and Scottish Labour would ensure that all teachers receive initial and ongoing training on the issues students face and LGBT+ Equality how to address them. Labour has a proud history of standing Likewise, we would ensure all frontline shoulder to shoulder with LGBT+ people. health and social care professionals We abolished Section 28, equalised receive ongoing training to understand the age of consent, and supported the and meet the needs of LGBTI patients legislation creating civil partnerships and service users. and equal marriage. Labour will work with organisations and It is unacceptable that trans people charities already making the UK a more and non-binary people continue to equal and fairer society and together face prejudice and discrimination we will build a country for the many. every day. The Scottish Government is consulting over changes to the Gender Recognition Act and Scottish Labour will listen carefully to the submissions and debate as the legislation progresses.

Labour will eliminate remaining areas of discrimination in law, ensuring that LGBT+ people can live in safety and dignity and take steps to safeguard

68 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE MIGRATION

A Labour government Our immigration system must allow us to recruit the will establish a humane people we need, and to welcome them and their immigration system families. Our work visa system must fill any skills and end the hostile or labour shortages that arise. The movement of environment that caused people around the world has enriched our society, our the Windrush scandal economy and our culture. of British citizens being We will take decisive action to regulate the labour deported. Instead our market to stop the undercutting of wages and system will be built on exploitation of all workers, including migrant workers. human rights and aimed It is the actions of bad bosses and successive Tory at meeting the skills and governments that have driven down wages and terms labour shortages that and conditions. Labour will ensure all workers have full exist in our economy and and equal rights from day one, with a real living wage public services. for all.

The Tory policy of pursuing net migration targets has undermined our economy and our public services, refusing entry to essential key workers including nurses. It has created a hostile environment within our communities, encouraged the demonisation of

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 69 migrants and enabled the callous use of will seek to protect those rights. 3 million residents as bargaining chips In accordance with our values and in our negotiations over EU withdrawal. domestic laws, we will uphold the Moreover, the Tories have not once met right to a family life for British, EU and their own targets. Their migration policies non-EU residents alike. We will end are a complete and damaging failure, the deportation of family members of whichever way they are looked at. people entitled to be here and end the minimum income requirements which We will scrap the 2014 Immigration separate families. Act, introduced by the Tories with their Liberal Democrat coalition partners. We are for a levelling up of rights, not a Refugees race to the bottom. We will not tolerate a two-tier system for those entitled to Refugees are victims of wars, be here. environmental catastrophes, famine or persecution. The Windrush scandal continues to create new victims. We will This Tory government has failed its end its injustices and provide fair international legal obligations to compensation to those who have refugees and to allow people to exercise unfairly suffered. their rights to seek asylum.

We will end indefinite detention, review A Labour government will uphold those the alternatives to the inhumane rights and meet those obligations. We conditions of detention centres, and will work with others to resume rescue close Yarl’s Wood and Brook House, missions in the Mediterranean, co- from which immediate savings would operate with the French authorities to contribute towards a fund of £20 million end to the horrific camps and establish to support the survivors of modern safe and legal routes for genuine slavery, trafficking and domestic asylum seekers. violence. We will ensure justice for Once here, refugees will have the right migrant domestic workers and restore to work and will be treated humanely by the overseas domestic workers’ visa. government at all levels. If we remain in the EU, freedom of movement would continue. If we leave, that will be subject to negotiations, but we recognise the social and economic benefits that free movement has brought both in terms of EU citizens here and UK citizens abroad – and we

70 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE SOCIAL SECURITY

Labour holds social But while Labour wants a society in which people care security in the same for one another, the Tories are trying to pitch us against esteem as our health and each other. education systems - it Under the Tories, the social security system has lost is there to help each of sight of its purpose. Poverty has become endemic, the us in times of need. If glue that binds our society together has come unstuck someone falls on hard and, in the words of the United Nations, the UK’s times – because they social safety net “has been deliberately removed and lose their job, get sick or replaced with a harsh and uncaring ethos.” lose a loved one – Labour will help them live with The cruelty and heartlessness of the Tories has made dignity and provide the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) a symbol support to get them back of fear. When people feel the DWP is more about on their feet. harassment than a helping hand, something has gone seriously wrong. Labour will completely change this culture, replacing the DWP on day one with a Department for Social Security, which will be there to help and support people, not punish and police them.

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 71 We’ll put children at the heart of suspend the Tories’ vicious sanction everything we do, developing a cross- regime and ensure that employment governmental National Strategy for support is positive not punitive. Childhood focusing on health, security, We will stop 300,000 more children well-being and poverty. We will give from falling into poverty by scrapping effect to the UN Convention on the the benefit cap and the two child limit, Rights of the Child. so ending the immoral and outrageous “rape clause”. We will pay childcare costs upfront so that parents aren’t Universal Credit forced to turn down work or get into The Tories’ flagship social security debt to pay for childcare. programme, Universal Credit (UC), Labour will protect women in abusive has been a catastrophe. It has pushed relationships by splitting payments thousands of people into poverty, and paying the child element to the caused families to lose their homes and primary carer. We will make it easier for forced parents to visit foodbanks in people to manage their living costs by order to feed their children. introducing fortnightly payments and Labour will scrap UC. We will paying the housing element directly to immediately stop moving people onto landlords. it and design an alternative system that The Tory’s “digital only” approach is treats people with dignity and respect. excluding vulnerable people. Labour Our ambition in designing this system will end the digital barrier and offer will be to end poverty by guaranteeing telephone, face-to-face and outreach a minimum standard of living. support. We will recruit 5,000 additional We will start developing this system advisors to deliver this. immediately. But we have learned the Tory cuts are pushing people into rent lessons from Tory failure: major policy arrears and leaving them at risk of change can’t be delivered overnight, homelessness. We will stop housing especially when people’s lives depend costs running away from benefits on it. So we will also implement an by scrapping the bedroom tax and emergency package of reforms to increasing the Local Housing Allowance. mitigate some of the worst features of UC while we develop our replacement The decision to scrap the “bedroom tax” system. across the UK would free up around £50 million a year in the Scottish budget. We will end the five week wait by introducing an interim payment based on half an estimated monthly entitlement. We will immediately

72 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Disabled People repeatedly and falsely find ill or disabled people fit to work, and make Labour stands with and for disabled sure all assessments are done in-house. people. We will always challenge stigma and discrimination wherever it is found Social security is meant to help and support the right of disabled disabled people cope with the people to live independently and be additional costs and disadvantages treated with respect. they face. But the Tories have cut back that support to inadequate levels. Time The Tories’ rhetoric of ‘scroungers’ and again disabled people have had to and ‘skivers’ has whipped up hatred fight through the courts to receive the of disabled people. Labour will never support they are entitled to. demonise disabled people or the unemployed. Labour will make sure people who are ill and disabled receive the support they Labour follows the social model of need to lead full, independent lives. We disability – it is not people’s condition will: or impairment that disables them, but society’s failure to adapt to those • Increase Employment and Support conditions and impairments. We are Allowance by £30 per week for those committed to removing the barriers in the work-related activity group constructed by society and ensuring • Raise support for children with that disabled people can participate disabilities to the level of Child Tax fully and equally in our society. Credits The Tories have created a hostile • Ensure that severely disabled people environment for disabled people, who without a formal carer receive extra have borne the brunt of Tory cuts. The support to enable them to meet the United Nations has said that the Tories extra costs they inevitably face. have systematically and gravely violated disabled people’s rights by denying We will help disabled people who want them the support they are entitled to. to work by bringing back specialist employment advisors, introducing Labour will end this hostile environment. a government-backed Reasonable We will give effect to the UN Adjustments Passport scheme to help Convention on the Rights of Persons people move between jobs more easily, with Disabilities into UK law and amend and reviewing support for disabled the Equality Act to reflect the social people at work, including the Access to model of disability. Work scheme.

We will stop the dehumanising Work Scottish Labour has laid out a clear Capability Assessments, which approach to disability benefits devolved

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 73 to Scotland, based on dignity, fairness how the government will maximise and respect. take-up and whether sufficient funding has been allocated for every child While the SNP has said they share this eligible. aspiration, existing evidence suggests their plan involves replicating much A Scottish Labour government at of the existing system. The Scottish Holyrood would top up child benefit Government promised a rights-based by £5 a week, which would equate to system, which would, at the very least, a total of 274,885 families’ incomes give people the same legal rights as topped-up by at least £520 per year, they currently have under the reserved and a further 288,075 families receiving benefits system. These hard-won case- an additional £260. Child benefit is law rights are yet to be integrated and not only the best way to reach those enshrined into Scots law. As a minimum, who really need it with a stable and people in Scotland must have the reliable benefit, it is a means of keeping same legal rights as those in the rest children out of poverty and improving of the UK. We will put pressure on the children’s standard of living across government until they deliver this. Scotland.

Many unanswered questions remain, Scottish Labour welcomes the UK from the benefit names, indefinite Labour Party’s plan to raise Carer’s awards, and how the daily living Allowance to be in line with Job descriptors might change. 5 years on Seeker’s Allowance. A Scottish Labour from the the “safe government would consult on the wider and secure” transition has barely started reforms needed to support our carers in and disabled people deserve clarity Scotland including a Minimum Income about the future. Guarantee.

After years of real terms cuts to the Scottish Welfare Fund, a key means of Further devolved social security protecting and supporting vulnerable It was welcome when the SNP people, Scottish Labour would increase Government announced they would its funding. bring forward the income supplement for under sixes, following pressure from Scottish Labour and the third Pensions sector. However, while it represents a People work hard for most of their lives substantial investment, unanswered and deserve a decent retirement free of questions remain about the application financial stress and insecurity. process, why those aged between 16 and 18 will not receive the payment, Under the Tories, 400,000 pensioners

74 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE have been pushed into poverty and into rip-off schemes and seek to a generation of women born in the widen and expand access for more low 1950s have had their pension age income and self-employed workers. We changed without fair notification. This will establish an independent Pensions’ betrayal left millions of women with Commission, modelled on the Low no time to make alternative plans – Pay Commission to recommend target with sometimes devastating personal levels for workplace pensions. consequences. We will create a single, comprehensive Labour recognises this injustice, and and publicly-run pensions dashboard will work with these women to design that is fully transparent, including a system of recompense for the losses information about costs and charges. and insecurity they have suffered. We will legislate to allow the CWU- We will ensure that such an injustice Royal Mail agreement for a collective can never happen again by legislating pension scheme to proceed and allow to prevent accrued rights to the state similar schemes. pension from being changed. Labour has listened to the NUM and The Tories have repeatedly raised the in government will end the injustice of State Pension Age despite overseeing the state taking 50% of the surplus in a decline in life expectancy. Labour the mineworkers’ pension scheme and will abandon the Tories’ plans to raise introduce new sharing arrangements so the State Pension Age, leaving it at that 10% goes to government and 90% 66. We will review retirement ages stays with scheme members. This new for physically arduous and stressful sharing arrangement will also apply to occupations, including shift workers, in the British Coal Staff Superannuation the public and private sectors. Scheme.

We will maintain the ‘triple lock’ and We will ensure the pensions of UK guarantee the Winter Fuel Allowance, citizens living overseas rise in line with free TV licences and free bus passes as pensions in the UK. universal benefits.

Thanks to automatic enrolment, which was introduced by the last Labour Government, record numbers of employees are now in workplace pension schemes. But too many people are still not saving enough for a comfortable retirement.

We will stop people being auto-enrolled

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 75 HOUSING

Everyone has the right to Everyone knows someone affected by the housing a decent, secure home. crisis: younger people unable to buy a first home, In 1945, Labour promised renters trapped in damp flats, families stuck on to “proceed with a council waiting lists, people who are homeless living housing programme and dying on our streets. The gap between the with the maximum housing haves and have-nots is at the heart of the practical speed until injustice in our country today. every family in this island The SNP has failed to respond to this crisis with the has a good standard of ambition required. There are currently at least 130,000 accommodation” In 2019, people waiting for a social or council house, homeless we renew that pledge. applications have increased, and more low income But too many people families are living in the private rented sector as rents are being denied their increase. right to a good home by our housing system that Only Labour has a plan to provide everyone with a treats homes as financial safe, warm and affordable home. We will act on every assets rather than places front to bring the cost of housing down and standards to live. up, so that everyone has a decent, affordable place to call home.

76 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Scottish Labour supports greater Council and Social Homes publicly led development, to shift the The only way to deliver on everyone’s balance of power away from major right to a good home is to build developers and landowners and back to publicly-funded social housing. communities. This will require not only significant capital investment but also Through the National Transformation legislative change to allow the public Fund, Scottish Labour would provide an sector to acquire land at existing use initial £10 billion investment to kickstart value. an ambitious social house-building programme in Scotland, building 12,000 Scottish Labour’s Housing Commission eco-friendly social and council homes recently recommended the creation a year for 10 years. This will ensure that of a new ’Land and Communities everyone in Scotland has the right Development Agency’ in Scotland. to an affordable, well-insulated and This new Agency would sit between permanent home. It would also support the Scottish and local government. It 50,000 jobs. would work with local authorities and other appropriate bodies to acquire, This funding would allow Scottish assemble remediate, service and co- Labour to return to pre-SNP subsidy develop derelict and vacant land in levels for affordable house building. Scotland, make available serviced sites Local government and housing for affordable housing and drive forward associations would receive two thirds the delivery of a new generation of of the funding required to build these planned, attractive, mixed tenure homes. Reducing the need for social communities in Scotland. landlords to borrow to build, would lower social rents long term, reduce the Scottish Labour would also upgrade cost of living for those on low incomes our current housing stock. We would and minimise the risk of eviction. invest £6 billion from the UK’s National Transformation Fund to upgrade almost all of Scotland’s 2.6 million Home Ownership homes to the highest energy efficiency standards. This would reduce the We don’t believe it’s fair that the average household energy bill by housing options previous generations £417 per household per year by 2030, took for granted are now out of dramatically reduce fuel poverty and reach for so many people. And home support 35,000 jobs. ownership is becoming a driver of capital inequality in Scotland. We need to close the gulf emerging between young people who may never be able to own their own home or accumulate

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 77 savings and those whose parents can As part of our plans to improve private afford to help them buy. However, sector tenants’ rights, Scottish Labour too many young people are stuck in a has brought forward a Bill, known as cycle from which there seems to be no the Mary Barbour Bill, which would put escape – they rent to save for a deposit an annual cap on increases on private to buy a house but rising rents mean sector rents and give more power to they can’t afford to put much away at tenants to appeal their rents. We would the end of the month. also legislate to bring energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector in The Help to Buy scheme, established line with the social sector. by the Coalition Tory - Lib Dem government and passed on to Scotland Scottish Labour supports a change in by the SNP, has directed funding planning law to ensure that properties towards those who don’t need it. being used as short-term lets, which are Scottish Labour would scrap Help not the owner’s sole residence, require to Buy and replacing it with a more planning permission. This would provide targeted scheme to help first time the basis for fair, locally-sensitive and buyers on lower incomes. evidence-based regulation.

Private Renters Homelessness

Unpredictable private rent increases No one should sleep without a roof across Scotland risk pushing more over their head in one of the richest families into poverty and homelessness. countries in the world. But under the Tories and the SNP, homelessness has The SNP government claim to have increased. The systematic problems provided a solution to rocketing rents in that lead to homelessness are not the form of Rent Pressure Zones but the being tackled, for example, the number scheme has been widely discredited. of homelessness applicants citing A report by City Council mental health or physical health for concluded that Rent Pressure Zones the reason why they failed to maintain have not been designed in a way that accommodation has risen dramatically. will work effectively and have asked Only Labour governments, committed for a review of the policy. The Scottish to investing in our public services, will Government must admit that Rent be able to tackle the root causes of Pressure Zones are unworkable and homelessness. that it’s time for a more meaningful intervention in the private rented sector A UK Labour government will tackle the to protect people from rising private wider causes of homelessness, raising sector rents. the Local Housing Allowance in line with the 30th percentile of local rents

78 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE The Scottish Government’s commitment on rapid rehousing is welcome, but the local authorities tasked with delivering it are chronically underfunded. The government’s lack of action on homelessness prevention is equally disappointing. Local authorities, the NHS, Police Scotland and the Prison Service all have a key role to play in prevention and must have clearly defined duties, developed in partnership with government, and the funding to deliver them.

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 79 THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT

81 THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT

80 THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT

Labour will give the Only a Labour government will put this decision in people the final say the hands of the people to give you the final say. on Brexit. Within three This will be a legally binding referendum and we will months of coming implement the people’s decision immediately. to power, a Labour The Tories have failed for three years to get Brexit government will secure a sorted, in a shambles of repeated delays and sensible deal. And within uncertainty. Whether people voted Leave or Remain in six months, we will put 2016, people and businesses are crying for politicians that deal to a public in Westminster to finally focus on the wider challenges vote alongside remain. A we face. Labour government will implement whatever the Labour rules out a no deal Brexit, and we will end the people decide. scandal of billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money being wasted on no deal preparations. No deal has never been a viable option. It would do enormous harm to jobs, rights, security and to our NHS.

Labour has led the campaign to stop a no deal Brexit. A majority Tory government would pose a renewed threat of the UK crashing out with no deal. Only a Labour government can prevent this.

THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT 81 We will rip-up the deeply flawed deal protections so that UK standards keep negotiated by Boris Johnson. We pace across Europe as a minimum, opposed his deal precisely because it allowing the UK to lead the way, not would do such harm to workers’ rights, fall behind. environmental protections and to our • Continued participation in EU manufacturing industry. agencies and funding programmes, Boris Johnson’s deal is even worse including in such vital areas of than Theresa May’s: it would leave the co-operation as the environment, UK £70bn worse off by 2029, it would scientific research and culture. give the green light to deregulation • Clear commitments on future security undermining UK manufacturing, and it arrangements, including access to the would leave our NHS at the mercy of a European Arrest Warrant and shared trade deal with Donald Trump. This sell- databases making people safer at out deal is unacceptable to Labour. home and abroad. Labour will secure a new Brexit deal Labour will secure a revised – one that protects jobs, rights and Withdrawal Agreement that provides the environment, avoids a hard border legal protection for citizens’ rights, in Northern Ireland and protects the meets our international obligations – Good Friday Agreement and the peace particularly with regard to the Good process. We will also ensure that there is Friday Agreement – and ensures an no change in the status or sovereignty appropriate transition period to allow of Gibraltar. businesses and citizens to adapt to any Our deal will be based on the principles new arrangements. we have set out over the last two years. We will also secure robust and legally It will include: binding protections for workers’ rights, • A permanent and comprehensive consumer standards and environmental UK-wide customs union, which is vital protections, and ensure level playing to protect our manufacturing industry field protections are maintained. Labour and allows the UK to benefit from joint will never accept an outcome that puts UK-EU trade deals, and is backed by rights and standards at risk. businesses and trade unions. Once we have secured this new deal • Close alignment with the Single we will put it to a legally binding Market – ensuring we have a strong referendum alongside the option of future economic relationship with the remaining in the EU. This will take place EU that can support UK businesses within the first six months of a Labour government and Scottish Labour will • Dynamic alignment on workers’ rights, campaign to remain in the EU. consumer rights and environmental

82 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Labour is the only party that can farmers, our fishing industry and heal the harmful divisions in our protection for our natural environment. communities and address the Labour recognises the huge benefits of devastation caused by ten years of immigration to our country. Many British austerity, ruthlessly imposed on society citizens have benefited from freedom by the Tories and Lib Dems. While other of movement, which has given them parties have exacerbated polarisation, the opportunity to study, work or retire defining everyone by how they voted abroad. Likewise our public services and in the 2016 EU Referendum, Labour has our industry have benefited from skilled consistently reached across this divide. workers coming here. Only Labour will deliver a final say Labour believes that citizens’ rights referendum. should never have been used as Only Labour will offer the choice of a bargaining chip in the Brexit remaining in the EU, or leaving with a negotiations, and recognise the huge sensible deal. anxiety this has caused for the 3 million EU nationals living in the UK and the This final say referendum will not be a 1.2 million UK nationals who have made re-run of 2016. It will be legally binding. their home elsewhere in the EU. Labour will implement the decision of the British people immediately. We will end the uncertainty created by the EU Settlement Scheme by granting Labour will introduce legislation to EU nationals the automatic right to facilitate this referendum and to provide continue living and working in the UK. legal certainty and stability following This new declaratory system will allow the result. EU nationals the chance to register We will introduce a Withdrawal for proof of status if they wish but will Agreement and Referendum Bill, mean they no longer have to apply providing the legal basis to conduct to continue living and working in this and implement the outcome of the country. This will help ensure reciprocal referendum. treatment for UK citizens living in the EU. It will also prevent a repeat of the We will scrap the Brexit legislation shameful Windrush scandal and avoid currently proposed by the Tories and unnecessarily criminalising hundreds of introduce new legislation that is in line thousands of EU nationals. with Labour’s priorities and principles to protect our economy, trade, jobs and If in a referendum the British people rights. decide to remain in the EU, this must not mean accepting the status quo. This will include new legislation to Labour will work with partners across ensure support and certainty for UK Europe to make the case for radical

THE FINAL SAY ON BREXIT 83 reform of the EU – in particular to ensure that its collective strength is focused on tackling the climate emergency, tax evasion and ending austerity and inequality.

The EU needs a new political direction and, if the people decide the UK should remain in the EU, Labour will lead the way to ensure that change.

For too long a politically inflicted wave of austerity has damaged communities across The UK and across Europe. The most vulnerable parts in our society have suffered, while the super-rich continue to be rewarded by a system that allows them to thrive at the expense of the many.

This must change. If the country decides to remain, a Labour government will take a different approach and strive to ensure that the EU works for people across our communities. The EU should focus on policies that value investment, protect public services and makes those who have the most pay their fair share.

If people decide to leave, a Labour government will work constructively on vital issues of mutual interest and to the mutual benefit of the UK and EU. But we will leave.

Most importantly, under a Labour government, you will get the final say on Brexit.

84 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE A NEW INTERNATIONALISM

86 A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 88 EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY 91 DEFENCE AND SECURITY 94 INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

85 A NEW INTERNATIONALISM

Labour will put human International peace and security will be a primary rights, international law objective of a Labour government’s foreign policy. The and tackling climate UK deserves better than the Tories’ reckless approach change at the heart of our to complex global challenges or the outsourcing of UK international policies, and foreign policy to US President Donald Trump. use our global influence Failed military interventions in countries like Libya to end the ‘bomb first, have worsened security across North Africa, talk later’ approach to accelerating the refugee crisis. security. Labour will always do what is needed Our approach will be based on our values. Within the to protect the security of first year of government Labour will: people in the UK. • Introduce a War Powers Act to ensure that no Prime Minister can bypass parliament to commit to conventional military action. Unlike the Tories, we will implement every single recommendation of the Chilcot Inquiry.

• Conduct an audit of the impact of The UK’s colonial legacies to understand our contribution to the

86 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE dynamics of violence and insecurity across regions previously under British colonial rule.

• Invest an additional £400 million in our diplomatic capacity to secure the UK’s role as a country that promotes peace, delivers ambitious global climate agreements and works through international organisations to secure political settlements to critical issues.

A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 87 EFFECTIVE DIPLOMACY

Internationalism is at We will: the core of the Labour • Establish a judge-led inquiry into our country’s alleged movement. We recognise complicity in rendition and torture, and the operation of our responsibility to secret courts confront injustices we see today and to correct the • Issue a formal apology for the first Jallianwala Bagh injustices of the past. massacre, and hold a public review into The UK’s role in the second Amritsar massacre

• Allow the people of the Chagos Islands and their descendants the right to return from the lands from which they should never have been removed

• Uphold the human rights of the people of West Papua and recognise the rights of the people of Western Sahara.

We have a duty to stand up for the security and sovereignty of our overseas territories, including the Falklands, and for the rights of our citizens and dual- nationals abroad, and will continue fighting for justice on

88 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE behalf of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and the indiscriminate bombardment of other British nationals wrongly imprisoned civilians in Yemen. or suffering mistreatment in captivity • Appoint human rights advisers to abroad. work across the Foreign Office and government to prioritise a coordinated approach to human rights. Human Rights • Advocate for human rights at every Human rights and international bilateral diplomatic meeting humanitarian law are fundamental pillars of a secure global system. These principles are under threat. Some of the Climate Diplomacy world’s most powerful states choose to sell arms to human rights-abusing states. There is no greater injustice today than Tory ministers, including Boris Johnson, countries in the Global South paying have signed off well over £2 billion of the price for a climate crisis they did not arms sales to repressive regimes since cause. Yet some world leaders, including June 2017. US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, champion a Around the world, human rights climate denial agenda. defenders and civil society activists remain vulnerable to attacks, often carried The UK’s climate change diplomacy out with impunity. We will: was respected internationally, playing an important role in securing the Paris • Immediately suspend the sale of arms Agreement, following the leading role to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen and to the UK played in securing the Kyoto Israel for arms used in violation of the Agreement. However, Boris Johnson - human rights of Palestinian civilians, and who has described global warming as a conduct a root-and-branch reform of “primitive fear… without foundation” – has our arms exports regime so ministers overseen a 60% cut in the UK’s global can never again turn a blind eye to network of climate experts. British-made weapons being used to target innocent civilians. Only Labour can rebuild the UK’s leadership on the most serious threat to • Reform the international rules- our shared humanity. We will: based order to secure justice and accountability for breaches of human • Rebuild our climate expertise within rights and international law, such as the the Foreign Office, putting climate bombing of hospitals in Syria, the illegal diplomacy at the heart of our foreign blockade of the Gaza Strip, and the use policy. of rape as a weapon of war against the • Use our influence at the UN, EU, G7, G20, Rohingya community in Myanmar and

A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 89 World Bank and other global institutions will continue to press for an immediate to promote policies to tackle the climate return to meaningful negotiations leading emergency. to a diplomatic resolution. A Labour government will immediately recognise • Use our diplomatic expertise to the state of Palestine. negotiate and deliver more ambitious global targets to deal with the climate Labour will take all lawful action necessary emergency, starting with COP 26 in to counter and confront all forms of Glasgow next year. terrorism, and we will advocate a long- term multinational political strategy, led by regional actors, to tackle the spread of Prioritising Conflict Prevention extremism. and Building Peace We believe effective diplomacy can The Tories have failed to play a address the drivers of conflict and constructive role in resolving the insecurity. We will: world’s most pressing humanitarian • Build support for UN reform, crises, including in Kashmir, Yemen and including assessing and developing Myanmar, and the escalation of tensions democratisation initiatives, and with Iran. The treatment of the Kurdish improving the engagement of the people in Syria, including by Turkey, and General Assembly in decision-making to the Uighurs in China has been meet ensure its institutions are more effective with total inaction and apathy by the at achieving peace. UK government. In some cases, they set aside regard for international law, • Prioritise our responsibility to prevent including refusing to criticise Crown conflict by investing in local capacities Prince Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia over for peacebuilding in areas of conflict the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. – advocating for political, multilateral strategies for peace. Labour is committed to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on a two- • Act immediately to urge negotiations state solution – a secure Israel alongside towards a political resolution to conflict a secure and viable state of Palestine. wherever it arises, including in the Middle There can be no military solution to this East and Sub-Saharan Africa. conflict, which must be settled on the basis of justice and international law. All sides must avoid taking action that would make peace harder to achieve. That means both an end to the blockade, occupation and settlements, and an end to rocket and terror attacks. Labour

90 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE DEFENCE AND SECURITY

The primary duty An incoming Labour government will undertake a of government is to Strategic Defence and Security Review to assess guarantee the security the security challenges facing The UK, including new of people in the UK. forms of cyber and remote warfare. This review will Labour’s defence also take account of the climate emergency, and policy will be strategic associated threats of resource competition, involuntary and evidence-led. migration and violent conflict Our security at home Under the Tories: is made stronger when the security of • Boris Johnson refuses to publish the report into others elsewhere is possible foreign interference by Russia in UK guaranteed too. democracy

• Trained Army Personnel have been cut from 102,000 to just over 74,000

• Armed forces and their families have been forced to live in sub-standard accommodation.

• Failing outsourced contracts have not been terminated.

A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 91 • Our Armed Forces personnel received mental and physical health services, below inflation pay rises for seven and seek greater consistency in the years implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant by public authorities. The security challenges we face know no borders. Labour will increase funding We will pay a lump-sum of £50,000 for UN peacekeeping operations to to each surviving British nuclear test £100 million. We will maintain our veteran to support them and their commitment to NATO and our close families with the health conditions relationship with our European partners, they have suffered as a result of and we will use our influence at the exposure to radiation. We will also United Nations to support peace and ensure that Black and Asian soldiers security worldwide. who fought in The UK’s colonial armies receive a full apology and explore Defence is a reserved issue and UK ways to compensate them for the Labour continues to support the discriminatory demob payments they renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent. received compared to their white Labour will also actively lead multilateral counterparts serving at the same rank efforts under our obligations Nuclear in the same regiments. Non-Proliferation Treaty to create a nuclear-free world. The UK defence industry is world- leading and Labour will continue to Labour’s commitment to spend at least work with manufacturers, unions and 2% of GDP on defence will guarantee export partners in line with Labours that our armed forces are versatile and foreign policy to support innovation capable of fulfilling the full range of in this sector to ensure it maintains roles and obligations. its highly skilled workforce and world We will scrap the public sector pay class apprenticeship programme. We cap, which resulted in a real terms pay are committed to procurement that cut for the starting salary of an army supports UK defence manufacturing private, ensure decent housing for including our aerospace and forces and their families, and guarantee shipbuilding, alongside a vibrant better access for all Forces children supply chain that includes the British to good quality local schools. We will steel industry and other component consult on creating a representative manufacturing companies providing body for the armed forces, akin to the good jobs throughout supply chains. Police Federation. Labour will publish a Defence Industrial Strategy White Paper, including a Labour will improve opportunities for National Shipbuilding Strategy, that veterans through access to lifelong keeps all Royal Navy and Royal Fleet learning and training, housing and

92 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Auxiliary shipbuilding contracts in the UK, to secure a long-term future for the industry and its workers.

Reducing our carbon footprint can only happen with ambitious emissions reduction targets at the MoD, one of government’s biggest energy users. So as part of our Green Industrial Revolution, we will create a Climate Change Sustainability Committee within the department to review the feasibility of increasing the use of sustainable energy in defence, and publish a strategy to accelerate the safe and sustainable recycling of our old nuclear submarines

A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 93 INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

The scale of the Labour will use the UK’s influence within the World challenges facing our Bank, IMF and WTO to transform the rules of the world are enormous. global economy so they work for the many. Conflict, climate change We recognise the need to address historic injustices and a global economy and will reset our relationships with countries in the rigged in favour of a tiny Global South based on principles of redistribution and elite are driving instability equality, not outdated notions of charity or imperialist and inequality across the rule. Unlike the Tories, Labour is fully committed to a world. A bold international standalone Department for International Development development policy driven (DfID), with an aid budget of at least 0.7% of gross by social justice has never national income. We will introduce the reduction of been more needed. inequality as a goal for all aid spending alongside existing poverty reduction and gender equality goals.

For the Tories, too often humanitarian aid is undermined by their disastrous foreign policy, as in Yemen. Under Labour, we will ensure policy coherence across our international facing departments. Under Labour, DFID will continue to respond to

94 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE the world’s biggest crises and will the most serious cases. ensure humanitarian aid is provided • Implement a gender transformative according to need, not whether the approach across all our international UK has commercial or other interests work, including tripling funding for in the country. DfID will assume a grassroots women’s organisations strong position in cross-government and establishing an independent decision making, including a permanent ombudsman to tackle abuse in the seat on the Export Control Joint Unit development sector. responsible for licensing arms exports. Scottish Labour is proud of Our international programme will be our international development based on human rights and gender achievements, including setting up our equality. We will: partnership with Malawi and introducing • Uphold basic rights to education, the Scottish Government’s International health and clean water by establishing Development Fund – the SNP’s work on a new Unit for Public Services international development builds on the within DfID, which will include successes of the last Scottish Labour increasing direct budgetary support government. to governments so they can build We fully support the Sustainable sustainable services for their citizens. Development Goals (SDGs) agreed • Promote fairer international tax rules globally to eradicate poverty and and help countries in the Global South protect the environment. We will work build progressive tax systems to with local authorities and third sector finance essential public services. organisations to welcome and support refugees and ensure that the UK takes a • Support trade unions internationally humane approach to welcoming those in their efforts to promote collective fleeing conflict and persecution. bargaining for better pay and conditions, and include binding social Labour believes in climate justice. chapters in trade agreements to Wealthy countries like the UK bear the safeguard workers’ rights. greatest responsibility for the climate emergency. Countries in the Global • Support ongoing UN efforts to South that have done the least to cause introduce a binding international climate change are already facing the treaty on business and human worst impacts, such as rising sea levels, rights, and make companies legally more frequent hurricanes and greater accountable for failing to prevent food insecurity. We have a duty to right human rights abuse or environmental this wrong. damage in their operations and supply chains, including criminal liability in

A NEW INTERNATIONALISM 95 We will: Labour believes human rights should drive our trade policy. • Provide a top-up of new and additional spending on international We will: climate finance to bring the total to • Implement UK arms export controls £4 billion a year, and also support to the highest standard, putting an international calls for compensation end to exports where they might be to those nations already suffering loss used in violation of human rights or and damage. international humanitarian law. • Stop all aid spending on fossil fuel • Ensure government procurement production overseas, redirecting it contracts are not granted to towards clean, renewable energy for all. companies that are complicit in • End all UK Export Finance support serious human rights abuses, and to fossil fuel projects, and reject any require all UK trade agreements trade deals that conflict with our to be consistent with international climate principles. humanitarian law.

• Undertake a root-and-branch reform • Introduce legislation to ensure of CDC Group plc (DfID’s principal transparency and parliamentary scrutiny vehicle for encouraging private of trade and investment agreements. sector investment in developing • Reject any trade agreements that countries), transforming it into a green undermine labour standards or development bank mandated to fight environmental protections, and rule out poverty, inequality and climate change. UK Export Finance support to companies Labour respects the crucial role played engaged in bribery or corruption. by small-scale farmers the world over in Labour recognises the right to essential guaranteeing people the right to food. medicines as an integral part of the We will: right to health. We will:

• Establish an aid-funded Food • Promote fairer international patent Sovereignty Fund to enable small- regimes that do not prevent countries scale farmers in the Global South from accessing essential medicines to gain access to land, seeds and and support efforts to increase the finance, and uphold indigenous transparency of medicines pricing so peoples’ right to land. governments can negotiate fair prices.

• Support sustainable local food and • In the long term, ensure that all agriculture markets in the fight against medicines developed with the support climate change. of UK taxpayer money are accessible to people in the Global South.

96 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE DEMOCRACY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

98 CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN SCOTLAND 100 STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY

97 CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN SCOTLAND

This manifesto What Scotland needs is a government that tackles the demonstrates the climate emergency, ends austerity and cuts and sorts transformational Brexit. That’s what the Scottish people need and that’s change that a UK Labour what we will be focusing on. That’s why in the early government can make. years of a UK Labour government will not agree to a It is a transformational section 30 order request if it comes from the Scottish change that the SNP Government. simply cannot deliver. In contrast, Scottish Labour would shift power closer to The Scottish Tories claim the people, decentralising and democratising the state. to defend the UK, but We will extend democracy not just at the ballot box, they know that Boris but in every workplace and every community. Johnson will abandon Scotland, as he did In the 2014 independence referendum Scottish Northern Ireland in his Labour campaigned for Scotland to remain in the UK. Brexit deal, if it suits his However, neither the status quo nor the SNP’s ‘Growth purpose. Commission’ prescription for managed decline provide what Scotland needs. Radical reform is key to our positive case for remaining part of the UK.

98 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE In 2021 the Fiscal Framework is due to Regions that could begin the process of be reviewed. The current Framework reshaping our political system. negotiated by the SNP in 2016 is a bad A federal system could be built on deal for Scotland with the potential a principle of co-determination, of for a gaping hole in our budget. So shared powers based on partnership, Scottish Labour would propose an not hierarchy. It would allow both overhaul of the Block Grant Adjustment subsidiarity and solidarity. Based mechanism and a review of the wider on a charter of rights with minimum Fiscal Framework so that a floor is standards below which no part of the provided and so that the adjustment UK could fall. on social security is not downwards - but upwards - according to Scotland’s needs.

Although Holyrood now has borrowing powers, we want to extend these so that we have powers fit for a Parliament. We are proposing that the Scottish Government should be able to borrow and issue bonds for both resource and capital spending without restriction. This will enable us to end the model of private control for funding public services.

A new Scotland Act under Labour will provide for the devolution of employment law, ensuring workers’ rights never fall below the UK minimum.

Labour will also consider how intergovernmental and inter- parliamentary relations work inside the UK. The Brexit process has shown the current haphazard arrangements are unfit for purpose. They are both hierarchical and unbalanced.

That is why we are proposing the abolition of the House of Lords and its replacement with an elected second chamber: a Senate of the Nations and

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 99 STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY

For many people, politics We want our political institutions to be connected fully doesn’t work. The to the wider electorate, and will take urgent steps to Westminster bubble is refresh our democracy. a world away from their The time has come for the real changes that a Labour daily lives. The Labour government will bring. Party was founded to give working-class We will act immediately to end the hereditary principle people a voice in politics. in the House of Lords, and work to abolish the House of Lords in favour of Labour’s preferred option of an elected Senate of the Nations and Regions, but we also believe that the people must be central to historic political changes.

The renewal of our UK Parliament will be subject to recommendations made by a UK-wide Constitutional Convention, led by a citizens’ assembly. This Convention will answer crucial questions on how power is distributed in the UK today, how nations and regions can best relate to each other and how a Labour government can best put power in the hands of the people.

100 IT’S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE Only a Labour government will house lobbyists and think-tanks and safeguard the future of a devolved UK, extending to contacts made with all reforming the way in which it works to senior government employees, not just make it fit for the future. ministers. In the Scottish Parliament, we argued that the Lobbying Act (Scotland) The UK is one of the most centralised 2016 was an inadequate response to countries in Europe. Labour will issues raised by us in a Members Bill. decentralise decision-making and We will therefore evaluate the working strengthen local democracy. of the legislation before proposing Our democratic revolution will also further changes to the law. extend to elections. We’ll also increase the financial A Labour government will repeal the penalties available to the Electoral Fixed-Term Parliaments Act 2011, which Commission and require imprints for has stifled democracy and propped up digital political adverts. weak governments. We will maintain 650 We will stop MPs from taking paid constituencies and respond objectively second jobs, with limited exemptions to future, independent boundary reviews. to maintain professional registrations We will oversee the largest extension of like nursing. We will replace ACOBA, the franchise in generations, reducing the business appointments committee, the voting age to 16, give full voting with a sufficiently resourced and rights to all UK residents, making sure empowered new body, governed by a everyone who is entitled to vote can do diverse and representative board and so by introducing a system of automatic established in law. We will also overhaul voter registration, and abandon Tory the system of ministerial appointments plans to introduce voter ID which has to public office. Scottish Labour will been shown to harm democratic rights. bring forward legislation to stop MSPs taking second jobs.

Tackling vested interests Scottish Labour supports greater transparency by extending Freedom Labour will change how politics is funded, of Information rules to cover private banning donations from tax avoiders and providers of public services, we will tax evaders, and closing loopholes that clamp down on those who seek to allow the use of shell companies to funnel avoid FOI law and set new standards dark money into politics. of consistent disclosure practice. We will free the voices of civil society Labour will also end the six-month by repealing the Lobbying Act 2014 time-limit in which the UK Information and overhauling the rules that govern Commissioner can prosecute the corporate lobbying. We will introduce deliberate destruction of public records. a lobbying register covering both in-

TACKLE POVERTY AND INEQUALITY 101

THE SCOTTISH LABOUR PARTY MANIFESTO 2019 REAL CHANGE FOR THE MANY NOT THE FEW 13026_19 Reproduced from electronic media, promoted by Michael Sharpe, Scottish General Secretary, on behalf of the on behalf of Secretary, by Michael Sharpe, Scottish General media, promoted electronic from 13026_19 Reproduced G2 4RE. Glasgow, both at 290 Bath Street, Party Scottish Labour