The Guardian view on the Labour manifesto: Keir Starmer’s plans could face a long haul

‘Sir Keir calls his manifesto “a plan to change Britain”. Millions will hope he is right.’ Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

At the Conservative manifesto launch on Tuesday, Rishi Sunak offered a selection of gimmicks not a strategy, and a compendium of uncosted promises instead of a plan. The result was a slapdash manifesto, with large areas of government responsibility almost wholly ignored. It offered the same old prejudices and the same old policy reflexes to the same old audience.

Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour manifesto launch in Manchester on Thursday could hardly have been more different. A party that looked into the electoral abyss in 2019 now stands on the threshold of government – and it showed. Labour has raised its game, and the manifesto rollout was optimistic and professional.