Strong Labour policies will woo voters: Chuka Umunna in Wolverhampton

Chuka Umunna told the Express & Star that elements of his party's leaked draft General Election manifesto would have widespread appeal at a time when the Tories were clearly short of 'bold ideas'.

The document, which was due to be signed off by leading party figures last night, revealed plans to take the railways and energy industry back under public control.

WATCH: Umunna on the PM, Labour's leaked manifesto and why local matters

Mr Umunna, who is considered to be one of Labour's rising stars and a possible successor to Jeremy Corbyn, was in the Black Country to campaign with Wolverhampton parliamentary candidates Emma Reynolds and Pat McFadden.

He said: "If you look at each of the individual policies, which some have been decrying...they are actually very popular with people.

"Have people been ripped off by the energy companies and would they like a fair deal? Yes. So working out how we can better structure our energy industries is something that is popular.

"If you look at the rail system, people have had to put up with the most shabby, appalling rail services...so I think when people look at a publicly owned company like the one that has recently run the East Coast Mainline, they see they can get a good deal where all the profits actually go back into the service.

"There is a strong and broad appeal there. We will have to wait until the manifesto is actually published for the full details but at least we are engaging with the public and having a debate.

"You look at Theresa May and it is clear that there's no manifesto and no bold ideas."

Mr Umunna, who is the parliamentary candidate for Streatham, which he held with a near-14,000 majority in 2015, joined Labour's candidate for Wolverhampton North East Emma Reynolds on the campaign trail in Wednesfield.

He chatted with residents on Broad Lane North during a door-knocking tour of the area with party activists.

Ms Reynolds has a majority of more than 5,000 from the last General Election and has vowed to fight for every vote this time around.

Mr Umunna said it was vital that every Labour candidate ensured against complacency.

"No constituency should ever be considered safe, because if you are going around trumpeting the fact that somewhere is a safe seat you are basically insulting the voters and saying you can take their support for granted," he said.

"The support has to be earned. Both myself and Emma became MPs in 2010 when things were tough for the party and we've never taken the support from our communities for granted.

"This is a General Election that in many ways revolves around local candidates. There is now a lot more scrutiny of the backgrounds of the people who are putting themselves up for elected office.

"If you're just a product of a machine and are a career politician with no connection to an area, then I think people see that. This election more than ever before is a national event where the focus will be on local contests."

Mr Umunna was the shadow business secretary until September 2015 when he stood down following Mr Corbyn's election as party leader.

He had previously been a leadership candidate after Ed Miliband stepped down, but withdrew his candidacy three days into his campaign.

But he said that any leadership ambitions had been put on the backburner until after June 8.

"I want to be a leading voice for Labour in my community but all talk of what happens after the General Election needs to be consigned to the bin," he said.

"The focus now needs to be to make sure we have the biggest contingent of Labour MPs in Parliament as possible."