Jeremy Corbyn says election manifesto 'once-in-generation' chance to 'change lives for the better'
Jeremy Corbyn says his party's new general election manifesto represents a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for people to "change their lives for the better".
Emerging from six hours of talks with senior Labour Party figures, union leaders and others, Mr Corbyn said he "could not wait" to take the manifesto to the people.
Speaking outside the Institute of Engineering and Technology in London, he gave no clues to the actual content of the document but said he was extremely proud of what it contained.
"That manifesto is a transformative document that will change the lives of the people of this country for the better," he said.
"It will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to vote for a more egalitarian society that cares for all."
The Labour leader said he had secured the "unanimous agreement" on its contents.
The manifesto - expected to be launched on Thursday - was being billed as "more radical" than the document campaigned on in the 2017 election.
Mr Corbyn and other senior party figures met to hammer out the final details of the Labour manifesto amid mounting divisions over what stance will be taken on immigration.
Immigration has re-emerged as a key General Election battleground and was expected be among the most heated discussions at Saturday’s clause V meeting.
However, party chairman Ian Lavery said that discussions were "very amicable" with "very little disagreement at all".
And Jon Trickett said the discussions went "very well indeed", adding that they were "ready to go to war as soon as possible".
Mr Corbyn has previously committed to a “fair immigration process” which could include looking at whether freedom of movement will continue in the event of the UK leaving the EU.
There are reports of a party split on the matter and Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said on Saturday that immigration is a “difficult” issue as there are “still different perspectives” within Labour.
“I think they’re right to be talking about a practical deal that keeps us as close to Europe as possible,” Mr Burnham told Sophy Ridge on Sky.
Pressed on whether he thinks Labour should back a position where free movement of people ends after Brexit, Mr Burnham said: “I think the public voted for change in the way the immigration arrangements work with Europe.
“To deny that, I think, would be to deny what many people were saying when they went to vote in 2016, and that’s just, in my view, a fact. It doesn’t help politicians, it doesn’t help Parliament, if they look like they’re kind of cocooned away from that public view.
“I think what we shouldn’t do is introduce wholesale change. Just some greater management of the system.”
Mr Corbyn arrived at the meeting accompanied by shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
Len McCluskey, leader of Unite the Union, arrived moments later and approached protesters chanting in support of free movement at the entrance.
Mr McCluskey shouted over them: “I’m going to support free movement and I support migrant workers.”
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said “end racism” as she passed the protesters while shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “We need to make sure we’ve got international staff – nurses and doctors who continue to work for the NHS.”
The Daily Telegraph reported that Mr Corbyn faces a frontbench split, referring to claims that a draft version of Labour’s manifesto contains a commitment to freedom of movement.
The newspaper quoted a shadow cabinet source as saying: “If we maintain a close relationship with the single market then we are going to have to maintain freedom of movement. That’s a given.”
Meanwhile, The Independent reported that policies of extending free movement and giving foreign nationals the right to vote in all UK elections are expected to be watered down or scrapped.
Asked about the reports, a spokeswoman for Labour said: “We didn’t provide any guidance for them ahead of the manifesto and won’t be for others.”So far Labour has announced a plan to create a publicly-owned broadband entity to deliver free full-fibre internet to the entire nation, as well as boosts to the minimum wage and the NHS.
Full details of the manifesto are supposed to remain tightly-sealed until the formal unveiling on a date in future.
In a promise that will delight some and dismay others, Mr Corbyn has pledged to deliver “the most radical and exciting plan for real change the British public has even seen”.
Meanwhile, Lord Falconer has written to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Director of Public Prosecutions calling for a probe into claims the Tories offered peerages to senior Brexit Party figures in a bid to get them to stand aside.
Scotland Yard said it has received two allegations of electoral fraud and malpractice in relation to the 2019 General Election which are currently being assessed.