Sir Keir Starmer has promised voters he will 'fight for you' and put 'country first, party second' in his first major speech since the general election was called. The Labour leader said he could be trusted because he had 'changed this party permanently'. He urged people to trust him to deliver economic stability and protect national security.
Despite Labour's commanding lead in the opinion polls, Sir Keir acknowledged that many voters were not yet fully persuaded. 'I know there are countless people who haven't decided how they'll vote in this election. They're fed up with the failure, chaos and division of the Tories, but they still have questions about us: has Labour changed enough? Do I trust them with my money, our borders, our security? My answer is yes, you can, because I have changed this party permanently,' he said.
In a personal speech, Sir Keir spoke of his background growing up in Oxted, Surrey, during the 1970s. 'My dad was a tool maker, he worked in a factory. My mum was a nurse... I know what out of control inflation feels like, how the rising cost-of-living can make you scared of the postman coming down the path,' he said. He added that elections were about values, temperament, and character, and the question 'whose side are you on?'
Sir Keir told the BBC he considered himself a socialist, despite accusations from the left of abandoning Jeremy Corbyn's vision. He also said Labour's plans did not require tax rises, including VAT, following shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves' announcement of no income tax or National Insurance increases under a Labour government.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dismissed the speech as 'waffle' with 'not a single plan for the future'. Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden called it 'wearisome and rambling' with 'no policy, no substance, and no plan'. The Tories claimed the choice was between sticking with Sunak's plan or going 'back to square one with Labour'.
