by René Lavanchy
Labour’s manifesto needs to contain “bold, radical things” and dividing lines with the Conservatives, cabinet minister Ed Miliband has said.
Mr Miliband, who is overseeing the writing of the general election manifesto, told party activists that he wanted the minimum wage to set Labour apart from the Tories, suggesting that he may like to see it linked to inflation or abolish the age-based banding – a move likely to be resisted by other cabinet ministers.
With a May election likely, Labour has less than two months before the manifesto is signed off at a “Clause V” meeting of the Cabinet, the National Executive Committee, party activists and trade union leaders.
Activists at a meeting between Mr Miliband, the NEC and the National Policy Forum last week highlighted demands for fairer taxation, including continuing support for the new 50p rate of income tax. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has said the top rate should be scrapped as soon as possible.
A participant said: “He said we needed to do bold, radical things but at the same time resources were very limited.”
Mr Miliband even joked that he worryingly found himself agreeing with left-wing NEC member Pete Willsman, who spoke of the need to convince the public of a progressive taxation system.
“Ed said the Government was being quite strict with the banks but we either need to do more or we need to explain better what we’re doing,” the participant added.
They also called for new top and bottom bands for council tax, and support for building more social housing.
Activists said they were impressed by his willingness to listen, suggesting that the manifesto has not yet been finalised. Senior party and trade union figures say they have not seen a finished document.
Union leaders are meanwhile pressing for a crackdown on tax avoidance by big businesses and the super-rich and free school meals for all, as part of what they see as a broad social justice agenda. They are also calling for an end to bogus self-employment in the construction sector, a policy led by construction union UCATT.
