‘Rebuild Britain’: Labour leader Starmer sets out party’s first steps for government

LONDON - Britain’s opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer pledged on May 16 to “rebuild Britain”, setting out what he called the first steps in government if his party wins a national election later in 2024.

Mr Starmer, who has dragged his party towards the centre ground of British politics after it pursued left-wing policies under his predecessor, set out his six priorities at a campaign launch, but was cautious in what he offered saying he would only promise what could be afforded.

Labour suffered a heavy defeat at the last election in 2019, but is well ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s governing Conservatives in opinion polls, making Mr Starmer favourite to be Britain’s next leader.

In a speech in Essex on May 16, Mr Starmer said if in government Labour would focus on growing the economy while keeping tax, inflation and mortgage rates as low as possible; reducing waiting times in the state-run National Health Service and cracking down on gangs who bring asylum seekers to Britain.

The other priorities will be setting up a publicly owned clean power company, tackling antisocial behaviour with more neighbourhood police, and recruiting thousands of new teachers paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.

“One card, six steps in your hand, a plan to change the country. This is a message that we can take to every doorstep across the country,” he told the audience, referring to credit card-sized checklists - a tactic reminiscent of one used by former Prime Minister Tony Blair when he won office in 1997.

“With patience, with determination, with these first steps we can rebuild our country with Labour,” he said, standing in front of his policy chiefs.

The six policies, alongside a picture of a stern looking Mr Starmer with his sleeves rolled up, will be put on billboards, vans and published in regional newspapers in the party's biggest advertising campaign since the 2019 general election.

With an election due in the second half of the year, Britain's main parties are setting out their solutions to issues including a healthcare system in crisis, years of slow growth, and rising threats from authoritarian states.

Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner and finance policy chief Rachel Reeves repeatedly referred to a “changed Labour Party” in their speeches, which came just days after Prime Minister Sunak called on voters to “trust him” and hand him another term.

Conservative Chairman Richard Holden said Labour still lacked a coherent plan and that the Conservatives would stick to plans to strengthen the economy and tighten border controls.

Labour is currently about 20 percentage points ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives in opinion polls but some party officials are concerned their advantage is not as solid as it could be, fearing thousands of voters are still undecided.

The party announced five "national missions" in 2023. But the six priorities announced on May 16 are slightly different, including how the party would tackle illegal immigration - an issue that is set to be a major battleground in the election.

A spokesperson for Labour said the policies would also be distributed to candidates in a format about the size of a credit card, reminiscent of a tactic used by Blair in the run up to his first election victory in 1997.

Asked if he was little more than a Blair tribute act, Mr Starmer said the former prime minister had won three elections in a row to hand him power from 1997 to 2007.

“It’s not copycat,” he said. “I am very conscious that we’re facing the challenges that are now here in 2024 and have to provide the answers to those challenges.” REUTERS