Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn yesterday vowed to ensure no-one and nowhere is left behind as he unveiled 10 pledges to rebuild and transform Britain.
The veteran left-winger promised to create a million good quality jobs by investing £500billion in infrastructure, manufacturing and new industries.
This would be backed up by a publicly-owned National Investment Bank, he said.
He also pledged stronger employment rights and to put action against pay and conditions under-cutting at the centre of the Brexit negotiations.
His other commitments included putting the public back into the economy and services, defending the Human Rights Act and placing peace and justice at the heart of foreign policy.
In a speech in London, Mr Corbyn said: “Labour will ensure that no-one and nowhere is left behind.
“With the talent and the skill in this country, Britain can achieve so much more.”
He is also in favour of replacing the minimum wage with a real living wage, which would be £10 per hour by 2020.
His challenger, former shadow work and pensions secretary Owen Smith, said earlier in the week he would roll out the full living wage as recommended by the Living Wage Foundation, which today would be £8.25 an hour.
Mr Corbyn’s speech came as a row brewed between shadow chancellor John McDonnell and Mr Smith.
The former accused the leadership hopeful of trying to “blackmail” the party by predicting a split if his rival is re-elected.
Mr Smith has warned Labour could “bust apart and disappear” if Mr Corbyn wins the leadership election in September.
But Mr McDonnell insisted the party would unite behind whoever was victorious and urged Mr Smith to end talk of division by declaring he would serve under Mr Corbyn.
A YouGov poll has suggested Labour support would be reduced to around 20% if the party splits.
Mr McDonnell said: “We shouldn’t be going into a leadership election saying, ‘Vote for me or some of my supporters will split the party’. People don’t want to be blackmailed in that way. That’s not right.”
