Labour manifesto focuses on industry

In his foreword to the manifesto Labour leader Ed Miliband promises “world-class apprenticeships” and the document goes on to outline a range of education and business policies aimed at supporting infrastructure, manufacturing and the sciences.

Key industrial pledges in the Labour Party manifesto include:

• Creation of an independent National Infrastructure Commission to hold government to account on infrastructure policy
• Long-term funding policy framework for science and innovation
• Additional powers for the Green Investment Bank
• Creation of an Energy Security Board to plan and deliver the energy mix
• Long term strategy for offshore oil & gas and ensure shale gas regulations are “robust” before extraction can take place
• Substantial increase in number of apprenticeships offered, including introduction of public sector apprenticeships
• Creation of new Technical Degrees, part-funded by government and employers
• Creation of vocational Technical Baccalaureate qualification for 16-18 year-olds
• Allow colleges to specialize and become Institutes of Technical Education

In addition to these policies, the manifesto also commits to the creation of a Small Business Administration to ensure government procurement contracts are accessible to SMEs, and that “regulations are designed with small firms in mind”.

A Labour government would also oversee the creation of a British Investment Bank to improve SMEs’ access to finance, increase the minimum wage to £8 per hour by 2019, and cut university tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000 per year.

Labour’s is the first of the manifestos to be published by one of the traditional leading parties, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats also expected to reveal their election pledges this week. Ukip –which looks set to overtake the Liberal Democrats in its share of the popular vote– is also set to launch its manifesto this week.

[The manifesto] will send a strong signal to industry that Labour is committed to driving up status of vocational education

EEF chief executive Terry Scuoler

Ahead of the manifesto publications, manufacturing trade body EEF last week called on the political parties to “tone down narrow-minded bickering” and “speak up on growth”.

Following today’s publication of the Labour Party manifesto, EEF chief executive Terry Scuoler said he welcomed Labour’s proposals “to focus on a long-term industrial strategy and keep Britain at the heart of the EU”, but warned that employers would be concerned by “some employment proposals which threaten to have a negative impact on the UK’s flexible labour market”.

Scuoler also warned against the pitfalls of the proposed apprenticeships expansion.

“The focus on increasing the quality of apprenticeships will send a strong signal to industry that Labour is committed to driving up status of vocational education,” said Scuoler.

“However, Labour must be mindful that there has been an array of recent initiatives in this space and avoid the constant change that has previously left employers and learners bewildered.”

Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party (SNP) – which could end up with the third largest number of seats in the general election and form a coalition with Labour in what looks likely to be another hung parliament – today launched its business manifesto.

In the document the SNP says it will:

• Seek to ensure small businesses are paid on time by pushing for prompt payment measures to be put into law
• Encourage the UK Government to work cooperatively with business and employee organisations to boost industrial relations
• Push for a transmission charging regime to support Scotland’s energy industry at every level
• Keep the pressure on the UK Treasury to do all it can to support Scotland’s oil and gas industry and protect jobs and investment.