Labour manifesto is strong on policing but says nothing about ambulance pressures

At 138 pages long, the Labour Party manifesto has the most to say of all three parties when it comes to the emergency services. It’s clear they have been listening to the voices of blue lights in the drafting of this document but they could have done more to recognise the pressure on the ambulance service.

Part of Labour’s first steps for change are set out in five national missions, one of which is focused cracking down on anti-social behaviour with a pledge to ‘take back our streets.’ The Labour Party says it will put more neighbourhood police officers on the beat, ‘paid for by ending wasteful contracts’ through a new Police Efficiency and Collaboration programme for England and Wales. The programme, says Labour, will set nationwide standards for procurement and establish shared services and specialist functions to reduce costs.

There is a commitment to an additional 13,000 neighbourhood police and community PCSOs and specialist abuse advisers in 999 control rooms at peak times. The annual cost of this is shown as £400m. This forms part of a new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee which aims to ensure that residents have a named officer to turn to ‘when things go wrong.’ It also includes a direct entry scheme for detectives ‘to boost investigation skills.’

“When you call the police, they should come. When you report a crime, it should be properly investigated no matter who you are, or where you live. Police should have the trust of communities. Victims must have faith that justice will be delivered, and criminals will be punished.”

HMICFRS will be pleased with this manifesto as it gives them something that Andy Cooke, Chief HMI, has been asking for: new powers to intervene when forces (and maybe fire and rescue services although that’s not explicit) are failing. There are also a few commitments to strengthening police professional standards, vetting and the misconduct process.

The manifesto commits a Labour government to put a specialist rape unit in every police force and domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms. This is one part of a wider policy where Labour says is has a ‘landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls’ within a decade. Labour says it ‘will no longer tolerate violence against women and girls that stains our society.’

They too are committed to introducing a Hillsborough Law that will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities. And like the Conservatives, Labour is committed to bringing in Martyn’s Law to improve security in public venues.

Publishing this summary on the seventh anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, the Labour manifesto says a Labour government would respond of the findings of the Grenfell Tower Inuiry ‘to ensure swift resolution.’ This manifesto includes a reference to building safety and a commitment to ‘review how to better protect leaseholders from costs and take steps to accelerate the pace of remediation across the country.’ They add that they will renew the focus on ‘ensuring those responsible for the building safety crisis put it right.’

In a section about responding the climate crisis, Labour says it will improve resilience and preparation across central government, local authorities, local communities, and emergency services. It goes on to say, ‘This includes formally working with all stakeholders in the fire and rescue services to inform policy and establish national standards.’ It’s not entirely clear what this means, but it is good to see the references to resilience and the wider emergency services and their role in responding to climate change.

This manifesto says nothing about how a Labour government would reduce pressure on the ambulance service, deal with hand over delays or anything beyond a broad statement about getting the NHS back on its’ feed ‘whether it is a GP appointment an ambulance or help at A&E.’

You can read the full Labour Party manifesto called ‘Change’ here.

To read our summary of the Liberal Democrat manifesto, see What the Lib Dem election manifesto says about the emergency services.

To read our summary of the Conservative manifesto, see Conservative Party manifesto majors on policing and crime but ignores other emergency services.