Sir Keir Starmer has put forward his pre-election pitch to voters, offering up six pledges in a speech in Essex today.
In a launch event at the potential electoral battleground, the Labour leader laid out a set of “first steps” for government if his party wins the general election, warning that "decline is not inevitable" in Britain.
Among its first steps “to change Britain”, Starmer's party will aim to deliver economic stability, cut NHS waiting times, launch a new border security command, set up publicly-owned energy firm Great British Energy, crack down on antisocial behaviour and recruit 6,500 new teachers.
The steps are aimed at providing “gimmick-free”, fully funded pledges to the electorate that could be implemented within the first five years of government.
Sir Keir Starmer has put forward his pre-election pitch to voters, offering up six pledges in a speech in Essex today
PA
Speaking in Essex, he said “stability is change and that’s why it has to be our first step”.
Starmer had recently spoken to a couple in Wolverhampton who had decided they could not afford to have a second child.
“I’m not prepared to let an incoming Labour government ever do that kind of damage to working people,” he told the audience.
He claimed Rishi Sunak had shown he had not “learnt the lessons” by announcing he would abolish national insurance, describing the move as “a £46 billion unfunded tax cut”.
The Labour leader added: “That’s why I can hardly believe I’m saying this: stability is change, and that’s why it has to be our first step.”
Starmer said a Labour government would “rebuild that hope, that trust and that confidence”.
“You cannot do that with gimmicks, with short term decisions,” he said, warning that “sticking plasters are easy” but that approach “just doesn’t work”.
Closing his speech, Starmer said: “Decline is not inevitable, politics can make a difference, Britain will have a better future and you can choose it with Labour.
“Stop the chaos, with Labour, turn the page, with Labour, return politics to service, with Labour.
“And with patience, with determination, with these first steps we can rebuild our country, with Labour.”
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But Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden said Labour had “no coherent plan” and described Thursday’s announcement as Starmer's “sixteenth relaunch” that “won’t amount to a hill of beans”.
Holden added: “Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives are sticking to the plan which is working to strengthen the economy – with inflation down from 11.1 per cent to 3.2 per cent and £900 back in hard-working people’s pockets – and a fair immigration system with boat crossings down.”