Campaign highlights: Corbyn reaches for the stars at Labour manifesto launch

Jeremy Corbyn vowed to take on the “rich and powerful” as he launched the Labour manifesto in Birmingham, while Boris Johnson tried his hand at bricklaying in Bedford.

Here are some of the highlights of Thursday’s campaign trail:

– Labour launched its manifesto for ‘real change’

Jeremy Corbyn launched his party’s manifesto – entitled It’s Time For Real Change – in Birmingham.

The policies inside it include a windfall tax on oil companies as part of plans for a low-carbon, green economy.

Other policies unveiled included a pledge to build 100,000 new council homes a year by 2024.

The party also set out its plans for another Brexit referendum and more cash for the NHS.

– The Conservatives pledged to deliver a million homes over five years

Housing was the talk of the day as Labour and the Tories pushed out rival housing policies.

Boris Johnson announced measures to help first-time buyers and boost private house building, promising a million homes over the next five years.

Alongside house building, the Conservatives have said they plan to introduce a new mortgage with long-term fixed rates, and only needing a 5% deposit, to help renters buy their first properties.

The Tories add that they will create a scheme where local first-time buyers will be able to get a 30% discount on new homes in their area.

Google announced that the company will no longer allow voters to be targeted by advertisers based on their political affiliation.

Election audience advertisements will now be limited to the general categories of age, gender and general location.

The tech giant said that the changes would be implemented in order to improve voter confidence in digital political advertising and international electoral processes.

Google said that it will begin enforcing the changes in the UK “within a week”, in time for the General Election on December 12.

– The Tories promised more cash for social care in England

The Conservatives pledged an extra £1 billion per year for social care in England over the next five years, if they win the election.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a “cross-party consensus” was needed on a long-term plan and that social care is “too important to be politicised”.

Mr Johnson said that nobody will be forced to sell their home to pay for social care if they win the election, but leading health policy experts have accused the Tories of having no real plan.

Meanwhile, Labour’s manifesto promised a “lifetime cap” on the amount people have to pay for social care.

The data, published by the Electoral Commission, includes all donations over £7,500 given to political parties between November 6 and November 12.

The Tories received £5,673,646, Labour £218,500, the Liberal Democrats £275,000, the Green Party £30,000, The Brexit Party £250,000 and Alliance Party of Northern Ireland £60,000.

In comparison, in the first weekly report before the 2017 general election, £7,054,844 worth of donations over £7,500 were reported by the parties.

Donations under £7,500 do not have to be declared and are not included in the data.

Tweet of the day

Jeremy Corbyn gives a breathless run through his party’s manifesto in 60 seconds

Picture of the day

Labour manifesto: Jeremy Corbyn’s key pledges

What’s next?