Ex-miners to see pension increases under Labour, party announces

In 1994 the then-government struck a deal meaning it received a surplus of the pension scheme, with Parliament’s business select committee finding that the Government had received over £4 billion.

Labour yesterday committed to review the arrangement in order that money is delivered to retired miners.

Ed Miliband, the shadow energy secretary, told The Yorkshire Post: “Our country owes a debt of gratitude to the mineworkers and their communities, who built our country.

“It was never right that the government profited from unfair pension arrangements- taking money that rightly belonged to miners.

“Families are struggling to make ends meet during the cost-of-living crisis and this extra money could make a huge difference. Implementing this policy will see an immediate uplift in the weekly pensions of thousands of miners across the country.

“A vote for Labour is a vote for justice for the miners who built this country.”

However, the party was yesterday criticised for not going further with its vision for the country following the unveiling of its manifesto, with opinion polls suggesting that the party is on course for a substantial majority next month.

Sir Keir Starmer said that there would be “no quick fix” to the current state of the country, as he launched a manifesto that lacked new policy announcements, spending pledges, or tax decisions.

The Labour leader denied he was being overly cautious in his efforts to put his party back in power for the first time since 2010, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the Labour plan would result in “the highest taxes in history”.

The manifesto reiterated the party’s plan to raise £7 billion in taxes through closing loopholes for tax avoidance and non-domiciled people, as well as taxing private schools, in addition to committing to not raising income tax, VAT or national insurance and to cap corporation tax at its current 25 per cent rate.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies said the “trivial” tax and spending increases did not address the looming squeeze on public finances current forecasts implied.

IFS director Paul Johnson said “delivering genuine change” would require “putting actual resources on the table”.

Similarly the party made no new commitments on social care, with the King’s Fund health charity saying the manifesto “largely dodges the issue of social care reform” and that the promises “could best be described as a plan to come up with a plan”.

The party also recommitted to its plans to build 1.5 million homes and reform the planning system, create a state-owned energy company to invest in green energy, and reform workers rights to create a “New Deal for Working People”.

Asked whether it was a “Captain Caution” manifesto, Sir Keir said: “It is a serious plan for the future of our country.”

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt attacked the plans, labelling it a “tax trap manifesto”.

“Under Labour’s published plans, taxes will rise to levels never before seen in this country,” he said, before claiming that further hikes could be needed.

“They are refusing to rule out taxing your job, your home, your pension, your car, your business and they think they can get away with it without anyone holding them to account.

“Be under no illusion, from cradle to grave you will pay more taxes under Labour.”