This is a clearly co-operative manifesto that puts redistribution of power and wealth at the heart of the next government’s agenda. The manifesto includes policies adopted directly from our own Agenda for a Co-operative Britain, as well as those shaped by our broader co-operative principles:

• A different way of doing business will see co-operatives and mutuals gain access to the crucial finance that they need to get off the ground via the British Investment Bank, as well as and a new approach to employee buy-outs when businesses are sold.
• Our plans for reforming markets have been incorporated with increased support for credit unions funded by a levy on payday lenders; working with community organisations to make 200,000 homes warm each year, one street at a time; and new rights for football supporters trusts to appoint and remove directors and to purchase shares.
• Working to create people-powered public services will reform the rail franchising system to enable public sector operators to take on the lines; enable increased co-operation between our schools and build co-operative values and principles into our public services.

None of this would have happened without the months of hard work, policy development, research and negotiation. That hard work was done by you our members, supporters, our politicians and the staff team. Thank you and I hope you feel justifiably proud!

We’ve still got so much to do. So let’s make sure that on 16 May we all vote to keep the co-op movement’s political voice – so we can keep doing this. Please make sure you’ve signed up to the Keep it Co-op campaign if you haven’t had a chance already.