BOOM! HERE'S KEIR'S VISION..

A COUNTRY shattered by 14 years of austerity was yesterday offered hopes of a brighter future as Keir Starmer vowed to rescue Britain from the nightmare of Tory rule.

- JOHN STEVENS, SOPHIE HUSKISSON and DAVE BURKE

The Labour leader pledged to boost the economy, create extra jobs, pump vital cash into the struggling NHS, bring down soaring energy bills, cut crime with more police officers and hire thousands of new teachers.

Launching his party manifesto in Manchester, Mr Starmer also told how he would transform energy and take railways back into public ownership.

He says he will pay for the plans by raising £7billion from closing tax loopholes for the rich, cracking down on avoidance and ending VAT breaks for private schools. But he promised working people there would be no rises in income tax, National Insurance or VAT. Mr Starmer said: "We want to build a future which genuinely will be better for our children."

And he said the General Election on July 4 gives people the chance to end more than a decade of Tory chaos. He added: "If you want change, you have to vote for change and that means voting Labour."

Ahead of his speech, three people told why they were crying out for that change. Dad-of-two Daniel Lynch, from London, said he and his partner are stuck in a one-bedroom flat with their son, 13, and daughter, seven.

Describing the cost of living crisis as "overwhelming" he said: "For the past 14 years, we've struggled with turmoil and uncertainty. Only Labour is offering something different."

Terminally ill cancer patient Nathaniel Dye told how he waited more than 100 days for a diagnosis.

The 38-year-old music teacher said: "I represent the human cost of an NHS neglected over the past 14 years and I invite anyone who stands by that dismal record in government to look me in the eye and say that it is good enough." Nathaniel's words moved watching Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves to tears.

First-time voter Holly Kains, 18, said young people are often forgotten" and added: better future "Labour symbolises a greater and equality."