Today saw the launch of the UK Labour Party’s manifesto, with leader Keir Starmer promising to “stop the chaos” and “rebuild Britain”.
The manifesto proposed a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under 16s and backed a generational smoking ban, the latter of which was also supported in the Conservative manifesto.
Labour has also pledged to replace England’s business rates system and remove the cap on National Living Wage.
The party is in support of making assaulting a shopworker a standalone offence in England, as is already the case in Scotland.
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has listed below the key pledges relevant to the UK convenience sector, some of which are devolved issues in Scotland:
Business taxation
- Cap corporation tax at 25% for the entire parliament
- Retain permanent full expensing for capital investment and the annual investment allowance for small business
- Replace business rates in England with a revenue neutral system that levels the playing field between online and high streets
Communities
- Strengthen the Post Office network and support the development of new products, services and business models, such as banking hubs, that will help reinvigorate the high street
- Further devolution and a new statutory requirement for Local Growth Plans
- Full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030
Employment
- Remove the age bands for the National Living Wage (currently anyone aged 20 and over is eligible for NLW)
- Change the remit of the Low Pay Commission so that it accounts for the cost of living
Public health
- Introduce a generational ban on purchasing tobacco products
- Ban vapes from being branded and advertised to appeal to children
- Ban on advertising junk food to children
- Ban on selling high caffeine energy drinks to under 16s
Crime
- A new Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee including the recruitment of thousands of new officers
- A new specific offence for assaults on shopworkers that will protect them from threats and violence.
Net Zero
- Restoring the phase out date of 2030 for new ICE vehicles
Throughout the General Election campaign, ACS is encouraging retailers to make the most of the opportunity to invite prospective parliamentary candidates into store to explain the issues that are affecting their business both locally and nationally. The ACS Election Centre includes a guide on how request a store visit with candidates, as well as how to run a store visit.
