The following contains links to the manifestos or policies of the parties whose candidates are standing in Coventry constituencies for the 2024 general election.

UNA Coventry have asked them for the opinions of all their candidates about some of the urgent international issues facing the UK. Find the questions here.

Links to their candidates’ answers (when provided) can be found on the list of their candidate here.

Conservative Party

Climate Change

The Conservative manifesto says “We will maintain the leadership on climate change we achieved at COP26 and our efforts to tackle global warming and biodiversity loss.” This is contracted by articles such as those by the London School of Economics which, in 2023, published a commentary entitled “UK climate leadership left in tatters by Prime Minister’s speech” and the Yale University article called “Why Is Britain Retreating from Global Leadership on Climate Action?”.

Human Rights

Regarding human rights, the manifesto says “Due to our post-Brexit freedoms, we have introduced a new independent sanctions regime that we have used to stand up for human rights around the world in countries such as Russia, Belarus and Iran.” The party seems unaware that a report published by Amnesty International says Britain is still breaching its human rights commitments. The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights said in April 2024 that the adoption of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill by the UK Parliament “raises major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law more generally”.

According to the Law Gazette, Rishi Sunak said when he launched the manifesto that a Conservative government will quit the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

International Law

The manifesto’s only mention of international law comes in the section “Our plan to control immigration and stop illegal immigration” which says the party will “Reform asylum rules, holding an international summit and working with other countries to reform international laws to make them fit for an age of mass migration. We will restrict visa access from countries that don’t work with us on our national priorities, like illegal migration.”

And experience shows the Conservatives are happy to break international law when it suits them. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said in the House of Commons in 2020 that Northern Ireland customs rules legislation do “break international law in a very specific and limited way”.

Green Party

The main manifesto page is here. The manifesto can be downloaded here.

Climate Change

Their manifesto section on Fairer, Greener Homes says, among other things, elected greens will push for a local-authority-led, street-by-street retrofit programme to insulate our homes, provide clean heat and start to adapt our buildings to more extreme climate conditions. The Green Energy section says they would push for a Green Economic Transformation, accelerate clean energy investment and delivery and phase out fossil fuels.

However it also says they want to see the phase-out of nuclear energy, which they claim is unsafe and much more expensive than renewables. On the other other hand, there are many who would argue that nuclear energy is far less dangerous than fossil fuels, which account for huge amounts of air pollution causing many deaths each year. In addition, renewables such as solar and wind power cannot provide the consistent supply of electricity in the quantities required to power large industrial uses. See here for more on the safety issues of nuclear power reactors.

The section on Fairer, Greener Transport says elected greens will push for, among other things: investment in an additional £19bn over five years to improve public transport; electrification of public transport; investment of £2.5bn a year in new cycleways and footpaths; a frequent-flyer levy; and a ban on domestic flights for journeys that would take less than three hours by train.

Human Rights

The manifesto says Green MPs will defend our democratic and civil rights from the kinds of attacks of recent years
and protect and advance the cornerstones of our democracy such as human rights law and our voting rights.

The Green Party is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Court of Human Rights. Elected Greens will:
• Defend the Human Rights Act.
• Support continued direct access to ECHR rights in the domestic courts.
• Restore legal aid for public law cases so everybody can uphold their rights in court.
• Protect the right to religious expression.
• Scrap the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, Public Order Act and other legislation that erodes the right to protest
and to free expression.

The Green Party acknowledges the right to claim asylum, in any country, as set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Elected Greens will campaign for a system of asylum and humanitarian protection that treats the applicant fairly, humanely and without discrimination.

International Law

In a world threatened by war and the rise of authoritarian regimes, the Green Party believes that the UK’s foreign policy should be based on shared commitments to democracy, peace, global solidarity and the protection of human rights. It
has never been more important to support the rule of law, including the international law that underpins our rights and protects against state aggression, genocide and the inhuman treatment of refugees.

In a world threatened by climate-driven instability and mass migration, there is an ever-greater need for enlightened leadership and international solidarity.

Elected Greens would push for the UK to support a new international law against ecocide and stand with those protecting
biodiversity globally, including indigenous peoples.

Labour Party

Their manifesto “Change” is available online or it can be downloaded here.

Climate Change

Climate change is mentioned only four times, buried within other text, and it is not easy to find any strategy for tackling it. However the manifesto talks a lot about “clean energy” and in various places says things like “clean energy by 2030 is Labour’s second mission…Labour will end the climate and energy chaos, turn the page on 14 years of failed policies, and make Britain a clean energy superpower.”

Human Rights

Human Rights are mentioned three times, mainly in the following: “Multilateral institutions remain indispensable, but they are struggling under the strain of new global challenges. Labour will work with allies to build, strengthen and reform these institutions. We will use the UK’s unique position in NATO, the UN, G7, G20 and the Commonwealth to address the threats we face, and to uphold human rights and international law.” See also below.

International Law

“Labour values international law because of the security it brings. Britain will unequivocally remain a member of the European Convention on Human Rights…Long-term peace and security in the Middle East will be an immediate focus. Labour will continue to push for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, and a rapid
increase of aid into Gaza…Labour will support industry to benefit from export opportunities, in line with a robust arms export
regime committed to to upholding international law.”

Liberal Democrat Party

Their manifesto “For a fair deal” is published on their website.

Climate Change

The manifesto says “We will put tackling climate change at the heart of a new industrial strategy. We will cut emissions and bills with an emergency Home Energy Upgrade programme. We will drive a rooftop solar revolution and invest in clean energy, transport and industry. We will restore nature and tackle toxic air pollution. And we will provide skills training, incentives and advice to help families and businesses with the transition to net zero.”

Chapter 5 deals with Climate Change and Energy. It says, among many other things, “Liberal Democrats are committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045 at the latest. We will take the bold, urgent action needed to tackle climate change, cut energy bills and create hundreds of thousands of secure, well-paid new jobs. Together with innovative British businesses, we will make the UK the world leader in the clean technologies of the future. We will help households meet the cost of the transition to net zero and make sure everyone benefits from it, leaving no one behind.”

Among many other things they will:

• Make homes warmer and cheaper to heat with a ten-year emergency upgrade programme, starting with free insulation and heat pumps for those on low incomes, and ensure that all new homes are zero-carbon.
• Drive a rooftop solar revolution by expanding incentives for households to install solar panels, including a guaranteed fair price for electricity sold back into the grid.
• Invest in renewable power so that 90% of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030.
• Appoint a Chief Secretary for Sustainability in the Treasury to ensure that the economy is sustainable, resource-efficient and zero-carbon, establish a new Net Zero Delivery Authority to coordinate action across government departments and work with devolved administrations, and hand more powers and resources to local councils for local net zero strategies.
• Establish national and local citizens’ assemblies to give people real involvement in the decisions needed to tackle climate change.
• Restore the UK’s role as a global leader on climate change, by returning international development spending to 0.7% of national income, with tackling climate change a key priority for development spending.

Human Rights

Human rights are mentioned in five of the 22 sections, and one of these sections is called “International”. It begins:

Whether on apartheid in South Africa, the illegal war in Iraq or the persecution of Hong Kongers, Liberal Democrats have always stood up for the vital British values of democracy, liberty, human rights and the rule of law. We will resist those states that threaten us and robustly challenge our allies when necessary.

The UK must support democracies around the world, especially those threatened by aggression such as Ukraine and Taiwan. We must stand up to states like China and Russia, resisting their attempts to undermine our democratic values and preventing them from filling the vacuum that the UK has left in Africa and the rest of the Global South, following the Government’s short-sighted cut to the aid budget.

Following years of Conservative Government, our influence on the world stage is sadly but undeniably diminished. Liberal Democrats will reverse this decline. We will rebuild our relations with our allies – not trash them. We will uphold international law – not undermine it. We will restore Britain’s role as an international development superpower.

With war raging on our continent, now more than ever Britain must lead within Europe. Liberal Democrats are the only party that will fix the UK’s broken relationship with Europe, by following our four-stage roadmap. Not only will this leave us and our allies more secure, but it will help restore the British economy and the prosperity and opportunities of its citizens.

International Law

In Chapter 22 – International – they say “Following years of Conservative Government, our influence on the world stage is sadly but undeniably diminished. Liberal Democrats will reverse this decline. We will rebuild our relations with our allies – not trash them. We will uphold international law – not undermine it. We will restore Britain’s role as an international development superpower.”

They also say they will respect international courts.

Reform UK Party

The Reform UK party website has a link to a “Contract with You” which seems to be their equivalent of a manifesto.

Climate Change

On 4 June the Guardian published an article by Simon Evans on the climate change section of an earlier version of their “contract”. Evans explained that which says the Energy and Environment section includes 30 false or misleading statements about the climate crisis and efforts to limit global heating. For example it says: “Net zero means reducing man made CO2 emissions to stop climate change. It can’t. Climate change has happened for millions of years, before man made CO2 emissions, and will always change. We are better to adapt to warming, rather than pretend we can stop it. Up to 10 times more people die of cold than warmth. In Roman Britain some 2,000 years ago, it was 2 degrees warmer than now. Grapes for wine were grown in Yorkshire.”

The current “Contract” no longer makes these claims about climate change, which is only mentioned once, but has a section on Net Zero which claims that it is “Crippling our Economy”. It says “Net Zero is pushing up bills, damaging British industries like steel, and making us less secure. We can protect our environment with more tree planting, more recycling and less single use plastics. New technology will help, but we must not impoverish ourselves in pursuit of unaffordable, unachievable global CO2 targets.”

It goes on to say that the following critical reforms are needed in the first 100 days: Scrap Net Zero and Related Subsidies; Scrap Annual £10 Billion of Renewable Energy Subsidies; Cheap, Secure Energy. This last section which says “Start fast-track licences of North Sea gas and oil. Grant shale gas licences on test sites for 2 years. Enable major production when safety is proven, with local compensation schemes.”

Human Rights

The Constitutional Reform section says in the first 100 days they would leave the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Brexit section says “British laws and judges must never be overruled by a foreign court. We must be free to deport those we consider a threat to our country. UK courts must be able to protect British citizens from EU arrest warrants.”

The Defence section says in the first 100 days they would “Introduce new Armed Forces Justice Bill. Protect our servicemen and women on active duty inside and outside the UK from civil law and human rights lawyers.”

The Immigration section says “Leave the European Convention on Human Rights. Zero illegal immigrants to be resettled in the UK. New Department of Immigration. Pick up illegal migrants out of boats and take them back to France.”

International Law

There is no mention of international law in the contract.

Social Democratic Party

Their website has a link to their manifesto, which includes the following:

Climate Change

We accept the broad scientific consensus that fossil fuels are contributing to climate change and that we need to reduce our aggregate usage of them; however, we do not support unrealistic objectives such as “Net Zero” which lead to an unbalanced and costly energy regime in the UK without materially impacting global warming.

Overwhelming focus on climate ‘catastrophe’ is fostering anxiety and despair in children.

Human Rights

The Human Rights Act will be replaced by a new Bill of Rights drawing upon the British tradition of liberty, free speech and free association and incorporating established principles such as habeas corpus and the rule of law. The Supreme Court will be abolished and the Law Lords reintroduced.

We will withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Council of Europe, the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and all other international instruments which deny UK sovereignty.

International Law

Is not mentioned but see the above on “international instruments which deny UK sovereignty”.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

The closest we can find to a manifesto is the Policies page on their website.

Climate Change

Human Rights

International Law

Vote Life Party

At the time of writing they have not published a manifesto. Their website is https://votelife.co.uk/

Climate Change

There is no mention of climate change.

Human Rights

There is no mention of Human Rights.

International Law

There is no mention of International Law.

Workers Party

Their election platform includes a 10 point programme which includes the need to live sustainably and protect the natural environment. They also publish a manifesto. Both of these can be read here. The manifesto can also be read or purchased here.

Climate Change

The only mention of climate change comes under the Global Net Zero and Technological Innovation section and says: “Climate change is constantly taking place. It has done so for thousands of years. We follow the science when it is clear but we understand just how much science can be socially constructed in a society dominated by the interests of Profit and not People. We keep an open mind but place the really existing conditions of the working class now and in the future top of mind. That is why we exist as a political party.”

Human Rights

There is no mention of human rights.

International Law

There is no mention of international law.