Jeremy Corbyn offers a vision of ‘hope’ and builds support for a ‘red Christmas’

Support us and go ad-free

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.

And to energise his campaign further, he encouraged the crowd to hit the streets campaigning ahead of the election on 12 December in order to bring a “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.

Read on...

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.

The Labour leader, who received chants of “oh Jeremy Corbyn”, also urged supporters to register to vote by the 26 November 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.

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.

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.

We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support

The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.

The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.

So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.

Support us