You’d be forgiven for thinking Labour’s first year in office has been a carousel of disasters from freebies to winter fuel to its latest U-turn on welfare reforms.
But if voters can separate out the narrative about U-turns and look at some of the policy achievements, on paper the Government can also celebrate some early wins.
But perhaps it’s time to give some credit where it is due, especially as in opposition Starmer made it clear it would take years to undo the mistakes made by the Conservatives and help the NHS recover from its pandemic hangover.
In education, parents should start to feel better off as the scheme to fund 15 hours of childcare is rolled out with 30 hours available from September. The first 300 new school-based nurseries will also open this autumn, while private nurseries have been prevented from overcharging for nappies and food. Half a million more primary-aged kids are eligible for free school meals with breakfast clubs now feeding 180,000 more children.
Tackling the flow of revolting sewage water companies pump at record levels into rivers, lakes and seas is almost universally popular. So, too is the drive to create new jobs in clean energy via the Great British Energy rollout. A modern, patriotic country can be proud of jobs created by coastal power than the old-fashioned search for coal.
The lowest earners should be starting to feel a bit better off. An increase to the National Minimum Wage is worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker. The median salary is up over £1,000 in the year to April. The employment rate has risen, albeit marginally. The Government has also boosted workers’ rights, alongside commissioning the Careers & Enterprise Company to boost career and enterprise skills in young people.
Labour insiders also insist that while pensioners feel upset about the now-amended change to the winter fuel allowance, older people are protected by the triple lock on pensions, keeping them on incomes which match the working age population.
Signing off three international trade deals shows the UK is moving on from the chaos of the Brexit years. A reset, albeit slow, with European nations is a step in the right direction.
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Labour has had a terrible year of communicating its successes; drowned out by unending stories on freebies, former No 10 Chief of Staff Sue Gray, the winter fuel U-turn and farmer fury over inheritance tax changes. Insiders acknowledge the operation has made mistakes. But they also hope once voters start feeling the tangible benefits of their plans, those early mistakes will be forgiven.
To misquote Lady Bracknell; one U-turn may be regarded as a misfortune, more than two looks like carelessness.
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