The Labour vs. Conservative battle of economic plans is heating up. Ed Miliband is launching a 79-page Better Plan for Britain’s Prosperity today, which appears to be his latest alternative on the Conservatives’ robotic chants of a ‘long-term economic plan’ for ‘hardworking families’. But this isn’t the first time they have launched their plan for the economy. Here are seven previous occasions where Labour has made a fuss about some new plans, pledges or promises about the economy:
1. December 2014 – five election pledges. At the end of last year, Miliband announced that Labour would go into the election with five election pledges that constituted ‘a long-term plan to make the country work for working people again’. In this speech focused on the deficit, he promised that the first pledge would be ‘we will build a strong economic foundation and balance the books.’
2. September 2014: six goals for Britain’s future. In his conference speech last year, Miliband unveiled a six-point plan for Britain’s long term future. He announced ‘Today I want to lay out six national goals. Not just for one term of office. Or even for one year. But a plan for the next ten years. Britain 2025.’
3. May 2014: ten point cost of living contract. At the peak of Labour’s its ‘cost of living crisis’ phase, Miliband released a ten point cost of living contract that would ensure ‘everyone who works hard knows they can get ahead’. The promises included freezing energy bills, building 200k homes, banning zero-hour contracts and cutting income tax.
4. April 2013: five point action plan. Miliband again launched a five point pledge card to ‘back Britain’s families’. This included bringing back the 10p rate of tax, cancelling the ‘millionaires’ tax cut’ and ending ‘rip-off rail fares’.
5. April 2012: five priorities plan. A year before, Miliband launched five Labour priorities for the Queen’s Speech. These proposals included a ‘fair deal’ on tax, energy, transport, jobs and for consumers.
6. March 2012: five point plan for the squeezed middle. Miliband launched yet another five point plan to ‘help the squeezed middle’. The plan included cutting fees charged by banks and low cost airlines, reversing tax credit changes and ‘stop the government’s raid on pensioners’.
7. September 2011: five point plan for jobs and growth. Three and a half years ago, Ed Balls launched his own five point plan to promote ‘jobs and growth’. Balls’ plan included a proposal to cut VAT, using funds from a bank bonus tax for housebuilding and a one year national insurance break.
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