The Shadow Foreign Secretary rushed from Manchester to the regional launch event yesterday reports Hana Rajabally

Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy with a group of Labour activists holding placards — David Lammy with Labour activists at The Hive – (Credit – Hana Rajabally)

David Lammy launched Labour’s election manifesto at a Labour party event at Barnet FC’s stadium yesterday afternoon.

The event at The Hive celebrated the initial unveiling of the manifesto by party leader Keir Starmer in Manchester yesterday morning.

Having attended the event in Manchester, the Shadow Foreign Secretary rushed down to London for the regional launch of the manifesto at the home of the National League side.

Apologising for arriving late to the launch event, the long-time MP for Tottenham said: “The manifesto launch in Manchester was meant to end at 12.30 on the dot. It didn’t end at 12.30 but it’s a good reason it didn’t end then. It’s because it’s a fabulous manifesto,” to the cheers of the crowd.

Lammy reminded the Labour Party supporters and activists present that although over the course of its history, the Labour Party had published many manifestos, there had been only three winning manifestos: Attlee’s, Wilson’s and Blair’s. But that was going to change, according to him.

“Why I think the manifesto launch this morning in Manchester was so important and overran because of the joy in the room and the questions from all the media…because this time, this is a winning manifesto,” he affirmed.

He continued: “The manifesto is centred on where the public are today. After 14 years of so much up and down, people want economic stability, on which they can build for their families, for their businesses, for their future. That is the promise of our manifesto. A manifesto based not on tax rises…but a manifesto predicated on growth!”

The Labour election manifesto contains five national missions to rebuild Britain, which include kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clear energy superpower, halving serious violent crimes on British streets, building an NHS fit for the future and breaking down the class ceiling so that young people have the best opportunities in their future.

The manifesto also includes six first steps to begin the journey of rebuilding the country, which are to deliver economic stability, cut NHS waiting times, recruit 6,500 new teachers, crack down on antisocial behaviour, and set up a publicly-owned clean power company, Great British Energy, to cut energy bills.

Primesh Patel, Labour’s candidate for Harrow East, who was at the event, told Barnet Post that the feedback on the doorstep towards his campaign has been really positive.

“People just really want change, and that’s what Labour’s offering,” he emphasised.

David Lammy told Barnet Post: “I rushed down here from Manchester, a little bit delayed, but I was delayed because there was a very positive event, and people responded particularly to the growth message.”

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