General election manifestos: A summary of policies for co-operatives

Labour's significant commitment on doubling the size of the co-operative and mutual sector, comes after strong manifesto pledges from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens, on community ownership, community energy, community-led housing and mutual banks. Read our summary of the manifesto commitments most relevant to co-operative growth.

Labour

• Aim to double the size of the UK’s co-operative and mutuals sector, working with the sector to address barriers, such as accessing finance
• Great British Energy will partner with co-operatives to install thousands of clean power projects, with communities invited to come forward with projects
• Explore a new governance model for Royal Mail so that workers and customers have a stronger voice 
• Create a specific offence for assaults on shopworkers that protects them from threats and violence

Conservatives 

• Extend the Community Ownership Fund to help more communities across the UK take control of vital community assets like pubs, music venues, libraries, green spaces, leisure centres and more
• Explore the creation of regional mutual banks 
• Support more community housing schemes, plus a two-year temporary Capital Gains Tax relief for landlords who sell to existing tenants 
• More support for community-led landscape recovery schemes
• Civic Service funding to community groups focused on increasing life chances, instilling civic pride and boosting people’s skills
• Tougher sentences for violence against retail workers

Liberal Democrats

• Support for the expansion of community energy, with a focus on grid reform – requiring large energy suppliers to work with community schemes to sell the power they generate to local customers and reducing access costs for grid connections
• Strengthening powers to protect community assets 
• Support for community sports clubs 

Reform UK

• Support for small businesses and highstreets 

Green Party

• A Co-operative Development Fund           
• Reform and finance to grow community energy
• Setting up regional mutual banks to drive investment
• Supporting private businesses to be transformed into mutual organisations, especially at the point of succession

Scottish Greens

• Legislate to grant private sector employees the right to buy their company
• Support for local and community-owned media outlets, to stem the ongoing decline in local newspapers

Plaid Cymru 

• Promote co-operative, employee and community ownership models
• Develop a community bank to provide local services to communities where private banking institutions have left the market

Our Call for Co-operative Growth

Ahead of Co-op Fortnight co-operatives and supporters are backing our Call for Co-operative Growth. This sets out what we have to offer, along with five policy priorities on finance, removing barriers, climate action, fixing broken markets and co-operative development.  

Now and after the election, co-operatives must speak with a unified voice. So please, back our call this Co-op Fortnight.

With our members, we are eager to partner with the next government to deliver the inclusive, responsible and wellbeing-enhancing growth our country needs.