Good and bad in Labour party plans

With Labour having a commanding lead in opinion polls, it looks inevitable there will be a new incumbent in Downing Street post the 4 July election.

Keir Starmer might not be the most charismatic politician, but after the chaotic years of Tory rule since the 2016 EU referendum, a period of stability and quiet government will be welcome.

It will also be a positive for NI if Starmer follows through on his promise to foster a new relationship with the EU, built around a veterinary agreement that removes the need for checks and controls on agri-food goods. For NI, an agreement doesn’t solve all the issues around the Irish Sea border, but it would make a huge difference.

However, putting that deal in place might prove challenging and will take political courage from Starmer given the noise likely to be created by Eurosceptics obsessed about being free from EU rules. Many of those same Eurosceptics had no particular issue leaving NI behind in some sort of halfway house – they are no allies of the people here.

Along with the commitment to improve trade with Europe, there are some other positives in the Labour manifesto, including a recognition of the importance of food security.

But there are also issues of concern, especially around the lack of any commitments on future farm funding.

Instead, we are left with that Labour policy document from the start of the year that set out an ambition for a “smaller, greener” system of farm support.

On the issue of bovine TB, the Labour manifesto refers to working with farmers and scientists to eradicate the disease, allowing government to end the “ineffective badger cull”. The use of the term “ineffective” sticks out, as the evidence from England clearly shows the opposite has been the case.

We can only hope that a new government at Westminster will make policy decisions based on facts, not what it deems to be the most popular at the time – or perhaps in politics, that is too much to hope for.