Sir Keir Starmer is preparing to deliver a big speech on his vision for fixing the UK’s problems. The Labour leader will use an address in Manchester this morning to launch a series of five national “missions” setting out his objectives for a Labour government.
The five missions are expected to be based around the economy, climate, crime, skills, and the NHS.
One of the goals will be to make the UK the highest-growth economy in the G7. The others include making Britain a “clean energy superpower” and cutting health inequalities.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast ahead of the speech, Sir Keir said the new missions would be about “fixing the fundamentals to make sure that we can restore pride and purpose to Britain”.
He said: The missions I am going to outline this morning are predominantly to do with the economy and to have the highest sustained growth in the G7 and sustained is the really important word in that.
“But we also need to make sure the NHS is fit for the future, we need to make our streets safe, we need to make sure that we remove the barriers to opportunity for every child everywhere and we want to be a green clean power superpower country”.
He added: “So big missions, big ambition and I am not ashamed to be ambitious for our country but this is about fixing the fundamentals to make sure that we can move forward as a country rather than stay in this almost crouched position that I think we have been in for many years now where we don’t have the confidence to move forward”.
In his address, expected at 10.30 am, Sir Keir will say that “new thinking” will be required to tackle the “root causes” of the UK’s problems.
He will spell out his diagnosis of the current problems facing the country, with an attack on “sticking plaster” politics and the divisions in the Conservative Party.
He will says: “Each mission will be laser-targeted on the complex problems which drive our crises. The root causes that demand new thinking.
“New solutions born in all parts of our country. New ways of harnessing the ingenuity that is all around us. Each mission will come with clear, measurable outcomes”.
“With missions comes greater stability and certainty – instead of a government chopping and changing all the time, blowing with the wind. The missions will be anchor points to show clearly the direction of travel”.
Starmer’s speech comes after prime minister Rishi Sunak set out five pledges of his own last month.
The prime minister pledged to halve inflation, grow the economy, make sure the national debt shrinks, ensure NHS waiting lists fall and pass new laws to crackdown on the migrant Channel crossings crisis.
Speaking in January, Mr Sunak outlined: “No tricks… no ambiguity… we’re either delivering for you or we’re not. We will rebuild trust in politics through action, or not at all. So, I ask you to judge us on the effort we put in and the results we achieve”.
