Keir Starmer to tell Brits there is 'light at the end of this tunnel' as he sets out plans to 'build a new Britain'

23 September 2024, 23:02

Keir Starmer will tell Brits there is 'light at the end of this tunnel' as he sets out his plans to "build a new Britain".

Sir Keir will tell Brits that there will be a "shared struggle" through tough, short-term pressures before long-term gains become apparent.

In his first Labour Party conference speech as PM, he will warn there are no easy answers and he could not offer "false hope" about the challenges ahead.

However, he will also attempt to set out his positive vision of "national renewal", with plans to "build a new Britain".

It comes against a backdrop of anger within Labour about the decision to means-test winter fuel payments, stripping them from millions of pensioners.

There have also been rows over donations to Sir Keir and other senior Labour figures, which have cast a shadow over this year's conference.

Read more: I won’t budge on winter fuel payments, Rachel Reeves vows as she admits there is a ‘harder’ road ahead

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Sir Keir will use his speech to acknowledge that many voters were motivated by despair at the Tories and warn his party that it needs to deliver a "decisive" government.

He will say: "I know this country is exhausted by and with politics. I know that the cost-of-living crisis drew a veil over the joy and wonder in our lives and that people want respite and relief, and may even have voted Labour for that reason.

"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. I will not do it with false hope."

In a sign that he will be prepared to push ahead with reforms to the economy and public services despite resistance, Sir Keir will say: "I have to warn you, working people do want more decisive government.

"They do want us to rebuild our public services and they do want that to lead to more control in their lives.

"But their pockets are not deep - not at all. So we have to be a great reforming government."

Sir Keir will attempt to set out his end goal of creating "a Britain built to last, built with respect and built with pride".

"The politics of national renewal are collective. They involve a shared struggle," he will say.

"A project that says, to everyone, this will be tough in the short term, but in the long term - it's the right thing to do for our country. And we all benefit from that."

He will go on to say that the short-term pain will bring about the longer-term benefits more quickly, adding: "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... then that light at the end of this tunnel, that Britain that belongs to you, we get there much more quickly."

The PM will tell activists that "it will be hard" because "it's not just that financial black hole, the £22 billion 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," he said.

"We have 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."

Natasha Clark recaps Rachel Reeves Labour Conference speech

It will come after Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in her speech on Monday that the economic "road ahead is steeper than harder than expected".

She braced millions of people for "a budget to fix the foundations. A budget to deliver the change we promised. A budget to rebuild Britain".

“We said we would not increase taxes on working people, which is why we will not increase the basic higher or additional rates of income tax, national insurance or VAT," she said.

However a grab on capital gains tax and inheritance taxes are both expected, as is a raid on pensions relief.

“I made the decision to means-test the winter fuel payment so it is only targeted at those the most in need,” she said.

“I know not everyone in this hall or the country will agree with every decision I make but I will not duck those decisions. Not for political expediency. Not for personal advantage.

“Faced with that £22 billion black hole and that triple lock … I judged it the right decision in the circumstances that we inherited. I did not take those decisions lightly.”

Under her plans, 10m pensioners will lose their winter fuel payments.

She repeatedly blamed Tory "recklessness" for the tough decisions coming in the October 30 Budget.