Keir Starmer defies calls for U-turns on free school meals and benefits
Keir Starmer has resisted pressure to shift Labour’s stance on child poverty and workers' rights at a summit to thrash out the party's election blueprint.
Labour officials saw off attempts to get the party to scrap the Tory two-child benefit cap, along with calls to widen free school meals provision.
Both policies - which are popular with members - have been opposed by the leadership due to cost as it keeps a tight grip on spending plans.
On Saturday, the Labour leader urged delegates not to leave Labour with "baggage" that could harm its chances of winning power and restated his warning that "tough decisions" were needed on public spending.
It is understood that the need for strong language on tackling child poverty was agreed but no concessions were made on either policy.
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Mr Starmer's decision to confirm Labour would retain the austerity-era benefit cap last week triggered a bruising row.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham said her union could not endorse the plans (PA)The policy, introduced by George Osborne, prevents parents claiming Universal Credit for any third or subsequent child - leaving parents up to £3,000-a-year worse off per child.
Scrapping the cap would lift around 270,000 households with children out of poverty at an estimated cost of £1.4 billion in the first year.
A Labour spokesman said the party's policy-making body had endorsed Mr Starmer's plans and there were "no unfunded spending commitments" in the document.
But tensions bubbled over as Unite, Labour's biggest trade union backer, refused to endorse the plan and accused Labour of watering down commitments on workers rights.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham branded the summit "chaotic", and said: "Unite was unable to back the document in full as it crossed the union's red lines including around workers' rights in collective bargaining, an area which needs root and branch change, not just tinkering around the edges."
However the GMB union hailed it as a "policy programme that would make a real difference for workers".
Left-wing activists expressed dismay at the failure to commit to extending free school meals to needy kids, a move that's been backed by a string of Labour MPs and peers.
Kate Dove, Momentum Co-Chair, said: "Under this callous Tory Government, four million children are living in food poverty. That's why Labour members, trade unions and the public are united behind the policy of free school meals, a policy in the best of our party's tradition."
She said it was "shameful" not to act on child hunger, adding: "The Tories have broken Britain - Labour needs to offer hope and real change, not more of the same."
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But a Labour spokesman said the result showed widespread support for Mr Starmer's plans and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves's fiscal rules.
The spokesman said: “This is a serious, credible and ambitious policy programme that lays the groundwork for an election-winning manifesto and a mission-driven Labour government that will build a better Britain. There are no unfunded spending commitments in the document.
“This weekend is another proof point that shows that Keir Starmer has changed the Labour Party and is ready to change the country in a government built on the rock of economic responsibility and strong fiscal rules.”
In a separate row, Sadiq Khan signalled he was "listening" to voters over the planned expansion of the ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) in London, which was blamed by some for the party’s failure to win a by-election in Boris Johnson’s old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip on Friday.
Mr Starmer told the summit on Saturday there was "something very wrong" when a party policy was on "each and every Tory leaflet" following attacks on the plan which applies a charge for older and more polluting road vehicles.
Mr Khan is looking at ways to address concerns, according to a source close to the London Mayor.
The source added: “Sadiq has always said that expanding ULEZ was a really difficult decision but necessary to save the lives of young and vulnerable Londoners.”
Nine out of 10 cars in outer London are believed to be already compliant with ULEZ.
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