Jeremy Corbyn has offered students a vision for “hope” as he unveiled a youth manifesto pledging £1 billion investment and votes at 16.
The Labour leader received huge applause when he told supporters at Loughborough University on Saturday of plans to end pay “discrimination” and give a £10 minimum wage to all.
In an attempt to energise his campaign, he encouraged the crowd to hit the streets campaigning ahead of the December 12 election in order to bring a “red Christmas”.
Red Christmas
Addressing the packed student union club lined with red neon lights, he said: “This election is all about the future and hope for young people in our society.
“A Labour government that will deliver for all people in the future is a prize within our grasp, but it’s not going to be handed to us on a plate.
“You’ve seen the attacks we are getting in some of the billionaire-owned media at the moment.
“But I tell you what, don’t do personal, don’t reply, just relentlessly go out there with the policies we’ve got, the determination we’ve got to put them into operation, and then, in the cold misery of a wet November and December, we will get a red Christmas and a great spring with a Labour government.”
Oh Jeremy Corbyn
The Labour leader, who received chants of “oh Jeremy Corbyn”, also urged supporters to register to vote by the November 26 deadline, saying there are still nine million people who have not done so.
In the youth manifesto, Labour pledges to spend £1 billion each year to fund a service guaranteeing every young person access to work.
We often say that young people are the leaders of tomorrow, but recent events have shown they are the leaders of today.
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) November 23, 2019
This is our manifesto for them, our Youth Manifesto: https://t.co/ILP0Zr3vwu #TheFutureIsOurs pic.twitter.com/cyGcECWqgV
It would spend an additional £250 million to build up to 500 new youth centres.
Among other policies Labour hopes will win the backing of the youth vote are ending tuition fees, bringing back the maintenance grant and free bus travel for under-25s.
Youth manifesto
A minimum £10-an-hour minimum wage from the age of 16, when people would also be given political franchise, banning unpaid internships and introducing climate apprenticeships are also proposed.
A commitment to introduce automatic voter registration and to reform the Help to Buy housing scheme so it focuses on first-time buyers on ordinary incomes also features in the youth manifesto.