Our Labour government has begun our first steps for change. We are already delivering on promises we made at the General Election - here are just a few of the ways that Labour is making working people better off.
Improved incomes for working people
Labour has increased the minimum wage for three million low-paid workers, and committed to retaining the pension triple lock for 13 million state pensioners.
Resolved long-running industrial disputes
The Government has ended a number of long-running strikes, including for junior doctors and rail operators.
Fast-tracked legislation to improve workers' rights
One of the government's first pieces of legislation honoured our manifesto promise to reverse decades of erosion of people's rights at work. The Employments Rights Bill, with well over 100 clauses, passed its second reading in October. It will bring reform on issues including flexible working, family-friendly policies, unfair dismissal, equality at work, fair pay and give employees more of voice at work. The Bill will create a new national Adult Social Care Negotiating Body. The Bill will give the Secretary of State new powers and staff to enforce Labour market legislation.
Restored NHS funding
The NHS faces major challenges. The service already accounts for a fifth of all public spending, and it faces growing demand from an ageing and sicker population. The government has restored NHS spending to its highest level since 2010. This is to fund 40,000 additional elective appointments, investment in technology, and the creation of new mental health crisis centres. Lord Darzi’s report, commissioned by the government and delivered in record time, has prepared the ground for the launch of a major long-term plan for the NHS in 2025. Darzi makes a clear case for shifting resources from hospitals to primary care.
Launched housing and planning reform – including greater security for tenants
We face a chronic shortage of homes, causing sky-high rents for tenants. Ever-rising house prices are increasingly driving young people out of the market and quashing the dream of home ownership.
This government has set ambitious housebuilding targets and intends to impose those on local authorities if necessary. It also proposes to overhaul planning processes. Over decades, right-to-buy policies have led to a dramatic decline in social housing and a consultation on reform closed on 15 January. The Renters Rights Bill will provide a major overhaul of the private rented sector with greater security for tenants and new enforcement powers for local authorities.
Labour will create planned New Towns. A New Towns Taskforce has been created with a mandate to identify sites for 12 new towns by this summer, and they have issued a call for local authorities to propose suitable locations.
Legislated to improve the regulation of the water industry
Conservative privatisation policies failed in the case of the water industry, where there has been growing public concern about increased charges, flooding, and sewage being dumped in our rivers and beaches.
The water companies have been failing in their duties and in managing their finances. The costs of restoring the system are huge. A first step to address public concern is the Labour government’s Water Special Measures Bill. This will enable the Regulator to block bonus payments to water company executives, improve pollution reporting, and allow imprisonment for obstructing investigations
Launched a major devolution of powers to local government
We have one of the most centralised systems of local government in the developed world, with most policy decisions made by people based in offices far from those who it might affect. In December, the English Devolution White Paper set out plans for the most comprehensive restructuring of local government since 1974, and a process for progressively devolving power from Whitehall to local mayors. Local authorities have been invited to indicate how quickly they expect to produce plans.
Improved international relations
International issues have a major bearing on the lives of people in Britain. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have meant higher energy prices, security concerns, and increased migration. In an increasingly unstable world, we need to strengthen our trade and defence alliances. It’s right that the Prime Minister is seeking to re-build relationships and our reputation on the world stage.
Launched a strategic defence review
The government has committed to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, reflecting rising global tensions and the increasing complexity of defence issues. Conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa have demonstrated the changing shape of warfare itself. A major Strategic Defence Review, launched in August with widespread consultation, will report in the first half of 2025.
Strengthened environmental policies
At COP29 in November, Keir Starmer unveiled new aspirations for the UK's environmental policy, including the creation of Great British Energy, with an £8.3bn fund to speed up the development of green technologies. The ban on land-based windfarms has been lifted and a ban has been introduced on new gas and oil exploration in the North Sea. A record number of clean energy projects have been approved and new regional clusters have been created to develop carbon capture, usage, and storage.
Launched improvements to public transport
The unreliability and high cost of rail and bus travel drives road congestion, creates pollution, and is a drag on economic activity.
There is public support for renationalising the railways, and the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024 has become law, setting the process in motion alongside the creation of Great British Railway. The Government has also increased the powers of local authorities to shape rail and bus services. The government has committed £1bn to improve bus services and has capped single bus fares at £3. The Bus Services Bill will give local authorities new controls over routes, timetables, connections and fares.
Strengthened police response to violence against women and girls
The Government has launched a number of measures to reduce violence against women and girls. They include a Safer Streets Mission Board to coordinate this across government. It is also piloting new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in five areas, and is embedding domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres.
Strengthened border control and increased returns of failed asylum seekers
Although more than 95% of immigrants arrive with government approval, the government has mandated the Migration Advisory Committee to work with Skills England, the Industrial Strategy Council, and the Department of Work and Pensions, to monitor the use of skills visas and reduce employers’ dependence on imported labour. UK Visas and Immigration have been mandated to increase investigations to tackle visa abuse.
Resources freed by the cancellation of the Rwanda deportation scheme are being used to speed up the process of removing failed asylum seekers, aided by new bilateral agreements with some countries of origin, and return numbers have increased. A series of measures have also been introduced to restrict the ability of people-smugglers to do business in the UK, and work is in hand with European countries to coordinate detection and prosecution.
Other actions
There is so much more that we have done, and this is just the beginning. Here's a handful of some of the other things that we have achieved since we were elected:
Allocated £11.8bn for infected blood compensation.
Allocated £3bn more for Ukraine.
Allocated £500m to local Warm Home grants.
Allocated an additional £550m for pothole repair.
Appointed a Covid Counter-Fraud Commissioner.
Created a cross departmental Child Poverty Taskforce.
Created Skills England to reform training and apprenticeships. Created the Women’s Justice Board.
Launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.
Launched legislation to remove hereditary Peers from the House of Lords.
Piloting free breakfast clubs in 750 schools.
Piloting new training for community policing. Plan to recruit 6,500 more teachers. Published a Green Paper on industrial strategy.
Published new rules on online safety.
Published the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Published the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to regulate product safety.
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