You might be hearing a lot of number 3
Keir Starmer has today given his first speech to the Labour Party Conference as prime minister of the UK, becoming the first Labour leader to give a speech to his party’s conference for 15 years.
He covered a lot of ground during the speech, but here’s the key things you need to know about what he said.
1. Starmer wants to make clear the government is delivering the ‘change’ promised in the general election
While Starmer’s speech naturally focussed in many areas on new policy initiatives and the government’s plans for the future, he also used his time to emphasise the work it has already started. In this sense, he sought to illustrate that the government is delivering on the ‘change’ promised in Labour’s general election campaign.
Starmer listed a whole range of areas action is being taken on, saying: “A Government of Service must act in everything it does to show – to the working people of this country, that politics can be a force for good, that it can be on the side of truth and justice, and that it can secure a better life for your family through the steady but uncompromising work of service.
“Make no mistake, the work of change has begun. Planning – reformed. Doctors – back in theatre. New solar projects. New offshore wind projects. The onshore ban – lifted. Great British Energy – launched. One-word Ofsted judgements – ended. MPs second jobs – banned. A Border Security Command. A National Wealth Fund – getting Britain Building Again. The Renters Reform Bill – stopping no fault evictions. The Railway Services Bill – bringing our railways back into public ownership. And we’re only just getting started.”
2. Labour are promising pain now for gain later
One of the criticisms of the early days of the Labour government is that it has offered more than a healthy does of doom and gloom. However, in his speech, Starmer argued that although they are taking ‘tough long-term decisions now’ to ‘deliver higher economic growth’, there will be ‘light at the end of this tunnel’.
He told the conference: “Our project has not and never will change. I changed the Labour Party to restore it to the service of working people, and that is exactly what we will do for Britain. But I will not do it with easy answers.”
Later, he added: “The truth is that if we take tough long-term decisions now, if we stick to the driving purpose behind everything we do: higher economic growth – so living standards rise in every community; our NHS facing the future – waiting lists at your hospital down; safer streets in your community; stronger borders; more opportunities for your children; clean British energy powering your home; making our country more secure”.
He then went on to say that in delivering this “that light at the end of this tunnel, that Britain that belongs to you, we get there much more quickly. “
3. ‘Britain that belongs to you’ – a new slogan?
In the conclusion of that section of the speech, Starmer used the phrase ‘Britain that belongs to you’. That same phrase appeared throughout.
While the slogan of the conference was ‘change begins’, it looks like we might have a new slogan to get used to hearing. In the coming months, expect to hear lots from government ministers about exactly what a ‘Britain that belongs to you’ means in practice.
4. Starmer has a damning narrative on the Tory government
As well as talking up his government’s early achievements and painting a picture of what may be coming down the line, Starmer also provided a damning narrative on the previous Tory government.
Accusing the Tories of ‘serving themselves’, Starmer told the conference: “Do not forget what they did. Do not let them attempt to shift the blame, because the state of our country is on them.
“Why must we release prisoners early? Because the Tories served themselves. Why are our public services on their knees? Because the Tories served themselves. Why is crime routinely unpunished, our rivers polluted, borders insecure, school roofs – crumbling, child poverty rampant? Nothing seems to work. And our public finances – broken?
“Because for fourteen years. The Tories performed the politics of easy answers, rather than the use the power of government to serve our country.”
Elsewhere in the speech, he repeated his well rehearsed critique of the Tories’ economic record. He said: “It will be hard. That’s not rhetoric, it’s reality. It’s not just that financial black hole, the £22bn of unfunded spending commitments, concealed from our country by the Tories, it’s not just the societal black hole – our decimated public services leaving communities held together by little more than good will – it’s also the political black hole.
“Just because we all want low taxes and good public services, does not mean that the iron law of properly funding policies can be ignored. We have the seen the damage that does, and I will not let that happen again. I will not let Tory economic recklessness hold back the working people of this country.”
5. Confirmed plans for a ‘Hillsborough Law’
One of the more forward looking elements of the speech was Starmer’s confirmation that his government intends to bring forward a ‘Hillsborough Law’. Such a law would introduce potential criminal sanctions for any official or authority that misleads or obstructs investigations.
He told the conference that this law would help prevent future scandals like that surrounding Hillsborough and Grenfell. He said: “That’s when I promised that on this stage that if I ever had the privilege to serve our country as Prime Minister, one of my first acts would be to bring in a Hillsborough law, a law of candour.
“A law for Liverpool, a law for the 97, a law that people shouldn’t have had to fight so hard to get, that will be delivered by my Labour government.
“It’s also a law for the victims of the Horizon scheme, the victims of Grenfell Tower, the infected blood scandal, and all the other injustices suffered at the hands of working people.”
Starmer has said that the legislation will be brought forward in advance of the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster next April.
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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