Labour nationalisation pledges revealed in 'leaked manifesto'
Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Libby Wiener
Labour shadow ministers and trade union heads have gathered in London for a top-level meeting in the wake of the leak of the party's draft general election manifesto.
The emergency meeting came as Labour fought to contain the damage from the top secret document's unauthorised release in which party plans to nationalise energy companies, the Royal Mail and the railways were revealed.
Leader Jeremy Corbyn even pulled out of a planned campaign event to attend the meeting as efforts to find the source of the leaked "draft plans" began.
Labour's planned pledges were initially leaked to newspapers on Tuesday evening and ITV News has since obtained a copy of the document.
The apparent draft manifesto promises a wave of radical reforms across several sectors including the NHS, education and housing.
On Wednesday night ITV News asked Mr Corbyn if he knew who had leaked the draft manifesto as he arrived at London's King's Cross station but he declined to comment.
A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said: "We do not comment on leaks. We will announce our policies in our manifesto, which is our plan to transform Britain for the many, not the few."
But the Conservatives were quick to slam the draft manifesto's pledges as a "total shambles".
What do Labour pledge in the reportedly leaked draft manifesto?
Abolish tuition fees
Re-nationalise energy industry, railways, Royal Mail and bus firms
Extra £6 billion for NHS per year and £8 billion for social care
100,000 new council houses per year
No exit from European Union without a trade deal
Scrap plans to raise pension age
No target on cutting immigration
Introduce an "excessive pay levy on companies with high numbers of staff on very high pay"
Power transfers from bosses to trade unions
Compensation for WASPI women
Triple lock for all pensioners
60% of energy from renewables by 2030
Labour would re-nationalise Britain’s energy industry, railways and Royal Mail.
And the document also suggests Labour will refuse to set a target on cutting immigration and rule out leaving the European Union without a deal.
The 43-page document supposedly states that £6 billion extra would be pumped into the NHS each year as well as £1.6 billion for social care.
Among other pledges in the draft were the abolition of tuition fees, something Jeremy Corbyn had earlier refused to confirmed when asked by ITV News.
More than 100,000 new council houses would reportedly be built each year under a new Department for Housing, it is said.
The Conservatives, responding to the alleged leak, said its content was indicative of Mr Corbyn's plans to "unleash chaos" in the UK.
"This is a total shambles. Jeremy Corbyn's plans to unleash chaos on Britain have been revealed," a Tory spokesperson said.
“The commitments in this dossier will rack up tens of billions of extra borrowing for our families and will put Brexit negotiations at risk.
"Jobs will be lost, families will be hit and our economic security damaged for a generation if Jeremy Corbyn and the coalition of chaos are ever let anywhere near the keys to Downing Street.”
The Liberal Democrats meanwhile said Labour's manifesto was "meaningless" and had "ceased to be relevant" by Theresa May's having triggered Brexit.
Party leader Tim Farron said: "It doesn't matter whether it was leaked or not leaked, the Labour manifesto ceased to be relevant in any way, shape or form the moment Jeremy Corbyn and his party held hands with Ukip and Theresa May and voted for the triggering of Article 50."
Labour's manifesto was in the process of being finalised and scheduled to be published on May 16.
But the supposed leak already reveals plans for thousands of homes to be offered to rough sleepers.
Meanwhile, private rent hikes would be capped at inflation.
Plans to increase the pension age beyond 66 would be scrapped, while £5 billion would be used to end Conservative schools cuts.
Roughly 10,000 extra police officers would also be drafted, while Labour would commit to boosting finance for childcare and scrapping the bedroom tax.