The weekend’s events will focus on the shared history of Britain’s communities whose ancestors stood together in conflict

As Britain unites to honour its war dead, a campaign to ensure Remembrance Sunday can be celebrated by everyone “irrespective of nationality, creed or colour” has been backed by MPs, and faith community and former military leaders. Called “remember together” and coordinated by the Royal British Legion and thinktank British Future, it encourages people from different backgrounds to commemorate their shared history 75 years after major battles such as D-Day.

The initiative comes as Labour and the Conservatives use Sunday to launch competing pledges to help veterans. Jeremy Corbyn announced that Labour’s manifesto, to be released later this month, will include “a new social contract” for former armed forces personnel, including reserved homes for rough sleepers alongside free education and training.

The Conservatives unveiled plans for veterans to get a third off the cost of train travel under a majority Tory government. Under its pledge, the party believes that 700,000 veterans not covered by existing railcards will benefit.

The promises came as dignitaries joined servicemen and women on Saturday night at London’s Royal Albert Hall to honour Britain’s war dead during the Royal British Legion’s annual festival of remembrance. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined the Queen and other members of the royal family for the event.

Senior royals will also attend Sunday’s remembrance service at the Cenotaph in central London. They will, it is hoped, be joined by blind veteran John Robinson, 53, from North Wales, who has vowed to battle through health difficulties for a third successive year to be present. The former Parachute Regiment corporal attended the 2017 commemorations two weeks after suffering a heart attack and was rushed to hospital immediately after last year’s ceremony when he needed an operation on his pancreas.

Britain’s tradition of remembrance is as relevant if your parents came here from India, Pakistan or Poland Sunder Katwala, British Future

The “remember together” campaign celebrates servicemen and women from allied nations such as Poland and the Czech Republic who fought for Britain in the second world war, alongside millions from pre-partition India, including modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, and the Caribbean, Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In a joint letter, Labour’s David Lammy, Conservative MP Neil O’Brien and Lib Dem defence spokesperson Jamie Stone urged the public to remember “how soldiers from Britain and its allies from across the Commonwealth nations, the US and the free armies of Europe fought side by side to overcome adversity,” and to “reflect on the things that we share”.

They are joined by former chief of defence staff Lord Richards of Herstmonceux along with senior representatives of the Christian, Muslim and Jewish faiths and from Britain’s Sikh and Hindu communities, Polish veterans and Pakistan’s High Commission to the UK.

The Royal British Legion’s Catherine Davies said: “Today’s Britain is made up of so many communities whose ancestors stood together in our darkest hour. Remembering the service and sacrifice of all of these communities is vital to understanding our shared remembrance heritage.”

Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, said: “Britain’s tradition of remembrance is as relevant if your parents came here from India, Pakistan or Poland as it is for someone whose family has lived here for generations. It’s something we share that can bring us together.”

In a statement released at midnight Corbyn pledged to “guarantee justice for veterans” and referred to figures claiming that more than 60,000 veterans have been let down by the Tories.

Among other initiatives in his party’s manifesto include new career opportunities through increased apprenticeship places and ensuring that every surviving veteran that suffered from exposure to unsafe levels of radiation during nuclear tests from the 1950s onwards receives compensation.