Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of acting like Jeremy Corbyn with their manifesto proposals.
Speaking ahead of Rishi Sunak launching his party’s policy platform, the Labour leader told broadcasters all his own plans are fully costed and funded.
The Conservatives have attempted to make tax a clear dividing line with Labour during the election campaign, promising not to raise any levies while accusing the opposition of planning tax rises.
But Starmer insisted Labour’s plans require no rises in income tax, national insurance or VAT.
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Responding to attacks from the Conservatives, Starmer said: “This is coming from a party that’s put tax at the highest level for 70 years, and they’re building the sort of Jeremy Corbyn-style manifesto where anything you want can go in it, none of it is costed.”
“It’s a recipe for more of the same, and that’s why this choice of turning the page on this, to turn the page and rebuild with Labour is so important, with six first steps that are ready to go on July the 5th.”
He added: “That’s why I say it’s a Jeremy Corbyn-style manifesto, which is load everything into the wheelbarrow, don’t provide the funding and hope that nobody notices the money isn’t there.”
From 2016-2020, Starmer served as shadow Brexit secretary in Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench team. As such, the now-Labour leader fully endorsed both the 2017 and 2019 manifestos put forward by Corbyn.
The Conservative manifesto, launched today, will outline what Sunak plans to do if he wins the election.
It is also the prime minister’s latest chance to shift the political conversation away from his decision to leave a D-Day commemoration event early.
The manifesto is expected to include a pledge to scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers of properties costing up to £425,000, according to recent leaks.
However, it is not thought to include any pledge on inheritance tax.
Launching the manifesto on Tuesday, Sunak will repeat his much-criticised claim that the Labour Party will increase taxes on working households by £2,094 and label Starmer a “socialist” who will “take more of your money.”
He will say: “We Conservatives have a plan to give you financial security. We will enable working people to keep more of the money you earn because you have earned it and have the right to choose what to spend it on.
He will add: “Keir Starmer takes a very different view. He says he’s a socialist, and we know what socialists always do: take more of your money. And we know that the plans Labour have already announced will require them to increase taxes on working households by £2,094.
“We Conservatives have had to take difficult decisions because of Covid. But we are now cutting taxes for earners, parents and pensioners.
“We are the party of Margaret Thatcher and Nigel Lawson, a party, unlike Labour, that believes in sound money.
“In this party, we believe that it is morally right that those who can work do work, and that hard work is rewarded with people being able to keep more of their own money. We will ensure that we have lower welfare so we can lower taxes.”
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