Labour publishes ‘campaigning bible’ for candidates ahead of election

Labour has published a so-called “campaigning bible” designed to assist the party’s prospective MPs at the next general election.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden wrote to all Labour election candidates on Tuesday to “gear them up for the next phase” of preparations for the contest, party officials said.

In the document’s foreword, Sir Keir Starmer said it will be up to campaigners and MPs to convince traditional Conservative voters to back Labour.

“With people losing faith in the Tories, the responsibility will fall to the Labour Party to show people how we have changed and what we now offer,” said the party leader.

While Tory MPs are jumping ship, many Tory voters are asking what the point of a Tory Party is if it can no longer run the economy or deliver on its promises

Sir Keir says in the 24-page document that “front and centre of everything we do will be economic stability” and that “every one of our commitments are fully costed and fully funded”.

The campaigning brief, however, fails to mention Labour’s commitment to invest £28 billion annually into green projects.

The pledge has come under scrutiny in recent months, with the Tories regularly attacking the expenditure pledge, branding it unaffordable.

Labour promised in 2021 to invest £28 billion a year until 2030 in green projects if it came to power.

But last year shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said it would instead be a target to work towards in the second half of a first parliament, if Labour wins an election.

Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor for Greater Manchester, has urged Sir Keir to “stick to your guns” on the policy to invest in the future.

Sir Keir told the BBC on Sunday that he stands by the policy, but added numerous caveats, saying it is “subject to what the Government has already assigned” for environmental projects and needs to be “within our fiscal rules”.

Pressed if the policy will be in the manifesto, he said: “In the way I’ve just described, then yes, of course.”

He has previously told the Tories to “bring it on” if they want to “weaponise” the pledge during an election that is expected in the second half of 2024.

But the lack of mention in the document for campaigners suggests Labour could look to limit the focus on the commitment ahead of polling day.

The briefing pack does mention the ambition to achieve clean power by 2030, saying that will be done through a number of measures, including getting the Hinckley and Sizewell nuclear projects “over the line” and doubling the country’s onshore wind capacity.

Publication of the campaign aid comes after a major opinion poll, reported by the Daily Telegraph on Monday, predicted doom for Rishi Sunak, with the Tories on course for a 1997-style wipeout.

The YouGov survey of 14,000 people indicated that the Prime Minister’s party could hold on to as few as 169 seats, with Sir Keir entering Downing Street with 385 Labour seats.

Announcing the document’s release, Mr McFadden said: “While Tory MPs are jumping ship, many Tory voters are asking what the point of a Tory Party is if it can no longer run the economy or deliver on its promises.

“Time after time, the Prime Minister’s pledges have failed and this isn’t just a pattern for this Prime Minister – it goes back over the Tories’ 14 years in power.”