Keir Starmer has said that “much” of what Tony Blair said in his 5,700-word essay criticising the government was wrong. Speaking at a train depot in west London, the prime minister acknowledged the need for policy debate but argued that Blair’s critique overlooked the progress made since Labour took office.
Starmer pointed to economic stabilisation, investment in public services, and a reduction in NHS waiting lists as evidence of successful policy choices. He noted that waiting lists had seen their biggest drop in 17 years, and that migration had fallen while economic growth continued.
On foreign policy, Starmer highlighted the rebuilding of relationships with EU partners and the maintenance of ties with the US, achievements he said many had thought impossible. He contrasted the situation inherited in 2024 with that of 1997, when Blair first became prime minister.
Starmer later expanded on his response in a Substack blog post. The exchange follows Blair’s essay, which also criticised the government’s approach to net zero and youth worklessness, with experts warning that abandoning net zero would harm the economy.
