Labour has signed off its election manifesto before its launch next week, despite a decision by Unite not to endorse it. At the party’s “clause V” meeting on Friday afternoon, the shadow cabinet, union representatives and the national executive committee (NEC) green-lighted the manifesto. Two people briefed on the meeting said Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, made clear she would not be able to endorse the document. The trade union continues to harbour reservations about Labour’s position on fire and rehire practices, zero-hours contracts and oil and gas licences. The manifesto was approved by a round of applause, one source said, so there was no opportunity to register formal disagreement. It will be based on the party’s five missions for government announced last year: the economy, the NHS, energy, education and planning reform. Party pledges include the creation of GB Energy, a publicly owned green power company; 40,000 more NHS appointments a week; and the recruitment of 6,500 new teachers to plug gaps in the workforce. The document will contain a promise to recognise a Palestinian state as part of a peace process, as the Guardian revealed on Friday. Keir Starmer confirmed the policy during a campaign visit in north London earlier on Friday. “That needs to be part of the process, it’s very important we have a viable Palestinian state alongside a safe and secure Israel,” he said. Asked whether this would be in the manifesto, he told the BBC: “It will be.” Labour’s clause V meeting is highly secretive, with attendees only told its precise location in central London in the morning. The gathering lasted about six and a half hours. Those entering the building were interrupted by two protests. In the morning, David Lammy was heckled by a demonstrator from the campaign group Green New Deal Rising, who demanded that Labour commit to a green new deal. When the meeting finished, pro-Palestine protesters greeted those leaving the venue.
The clause V meeting takes its name from the fifth clause of the party rulebook, which seeks to ensure members, affiliated organisations and elected representatives are all able to take part in policy formulation. A Labour spokesperson said: “Today’s meeting has endorsed Labour’s manifesto. On 4 July, the British people will have the chance to vote for change – to stop the chaos, turn the page and start to rebuild our country.” The manifesto is due to be launched on 13 June. Luke Akehurst, a Labour parliamentary candidate and member of the NEC, said after the meeting in a post on X: “A historic moment attending the clause V meeting today to agree Labour’s manifesto, which will be published next week. Keir expressed hope it will lead to Labour victory and transformation of the country in same way 1945, 1964 and 1997 manifestos did.” The leftwing campaign group Momentum said it was “deeply disappointed” that Labour had not committed to free school meals or scrapping the two-child benefit cap. “We need to kick out not just the Tories, but Tory policies too,” a spokesperson said. “Standing alongside child poverty campaigners and friends across the labour movement, we will continue to push for these policies, which represent the essence of real Labour values.”