LIVERPOOL: Britain’s opposition leader, Keir Starmer, is set to make a promise on Tuesday that a future Labour government will work to “heal” the United Kingdom after 13 years of Conservative rule, in anticipation of a possible election next year. Starmer will deliver his pledge during the headline speech of his centre-left Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool, in northwest England.
In his address, scheduled to begin at 2:00 pm (1300 GMT), Starmer will focus on key issues, including economic growth, healthcare, public safety, and affordable energy.
He acknowledges the challenges posed by the cost-of-living crisis triggered by Brexit, pandemic lockdowns, and the conflict in Ukraine. Starmer will emphasize that even though the road to recovery is arduous, it is possible to mend what is broken and rebuild what is ruined.
“People are looking to us because they want our wounds to heal, and we are the healers,” Starmer is expected to declare, promising a “decade of national renewal.” He will add, “People are looking to us because they want us to build a new Britain, and we are the builders.”
This speech comes at a time when the Labour Party enjoys a double-digit lead in most opinion polls ahead of a general election that Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak must call by January 2025.
Since assuming leadership in April 2020, Starmer has repositioned Labour closer to the political center, following a significant loss to the Tories in the 2019 election, succeeding socialist Jeremy Corbyn.
Starmer will emphasize that Labour is no longer a party of protest or gesture politics but a “party of service” that prioritizes the country’s interests over party interests.
Despite the strong polling numbers, Starmer has faced criticism for being overly cautious and for not outlining a clear vision for the United Kingdom. Observers are eager to see if he provides more details on Labour’s policies during this speech or chooses to keep some cards close to his chest, given the uncertain election date.
During the conference, Labour introduced several policies, including a £1.5 billion ($1.8 billion) plan to address waiting lists in the National Health Service (NHS) and a commitment to build 1.5 million houses over five years. The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, also announced pledges to strengthen workers’ rights, including the ban on zero-hour contracts.
The economy is expected to be a central theme of Labour’s campaign, with Starmer pledging to “get Britain building.” This comes in response to Sunak’s recent decision to cancel a portion of a major high-speed rail project.
Rachel Reeves, who could become the UK’s first female finance minister if Labour wins the election, affirmed that the party’s “economic mission is to restore growth to Britain.”
The Conservative Party has witnessed multiple leadership changes since the last election, with Sunak taking over from Liz Truss after her tax-cutting agenda raised concerns in the financial markets. Reeves emphasized that the turmoil following these changes illustrates that “you can never trust the Tories with our economy ever again” and pledged to introduce a law requiring independent forecasts for any future tax and spending changes.”
