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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Ross Hunter

Keir Starmer removes leadership election pledges from website

PLEDGES made by Labour Party leader Keir Starmer during the 2020 leadership election have been removed from his website.

When Starmer was running for leadership of the party he made a list of ten pledges he vowed to keep, including scrapping tuition fees and ending universal credit.

However, during the course of his leadership Starmer has abandoned or watered down many of the promises made.

The National: The image which now greets those looking for Keir Starmer's ten pledges The image which now greets those looking for Keir Starmer's ten pledges (Image: NQ)

Now, the Labour leader appears to have erased any mention of the pledges from his website.

A link which formerly took people to a page detailing the ten pledges now comes up with an error.

But, for the sake of posterity, we’ve placed a few of the pledges below along with details as to whether Starmer appears to be keeping to them.

Economic Justice

Starmer promised to increase income tax for the top 5% of earners.

However, in three short years it seems he has changed his mind about making the wealthiest pay more.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said she has “no plans” to increase income tax and that Labour will instead focus on growing the economy if it wins the General Election.

Social Justice

Within this pledge there were plans to “abolish Universal Credit and end the Tories’ cruel sanctions regime”.

But the party now states that it will reform rather than abolish Universal Credit.

This pledge also contained a promise to abolish tuition fees, which Starmer abandoned back in May.

Promote peace and human rights

The Labour leader promised “no more illegal wars” and said he would review all UK arms sales.

A large number of Labour MPs voted to rebel after Starmer refused to back calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

He even claimed that Israel ‘has the right’ to withhold power and water from Palestinians living in the area.

It is a position that has been much criticised by politicians in his own party, with one Scottish Labour MSP questioning whether Starmer realised there was a “massacre happening right now in Gaza”.

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