Keir Starmer has vowed that working people will not be hit by higher taxes if he becomes PM.
In an interview with the Mirror, the Labour leader pledged not to hike levies - including income tax.
Making the landmark promise, he said: “We will do nothing to increase the burden on working people, whether it comes to tax or anything else. They have paid a heavy price for the incompetence of the government after the last 13 years.”
As MPs return to Westminster with ministers facing questions over the crumbling schools scandal, Mr Starmer warned Rishi Sunak’s government is crippled by “complete inertia”. The Labour leader accused the Tories of being “simply unable to move forward”.
Mr Starmer today reveals a plan to make Britain a world leader in clean steel to provide jobs for the future. A Labour Government would ensure more UK-produced steel is used when building warships. He said it would lead to us “buying more in Britain, selling more in Britain and making more in Britain”.
As the party prepares for a General Election next year, Mr Starmer used the interview to make a key pledge on tax. The Opposition Leader promised working people will not face higher taxes under a Labour government. “The single biggest factor of the last 13 years of why we've ended up with a high tax economy is because we've had a low growth economy and this is a doom loop,” he said. “Not growing the economy has led to this government then increasing taxes.”
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves last weekend promised she would not increase the top rate of income tax. Asked if he could make the same promise for those on the basic rate, Mr Starmer said: “We're not increasing tax across the board.” Pushed on whether he would put up income tax, he said: “No.”
Questioned on how Labour would be able to fix the country without having any extra money, Mr Starmer said: “We've got to grow our economy. It doesn't mean we can't do anything because there's a huge amount of reform that needs to happen. If you take the health service, for example. True, it is that the health service needs a lot of money. But also, it needs reform. We need to change the model so that it's fit for the next 70 years, making sure that we go down the preventative route, making sure that we've got health and mental health closer to people where they are in their communities, making sure we're using the very best cutting edge technology.”
As the new parliamentary term begins, the Government is expected to officially begin the process for holding a by-election in Mid Bedfordshire to replace Nadine. Mr Starmer is hopeful Labour can overturn the Tories’ majority of 24,664 votes to win the seat. He said: “We are clearly the party that can win in Mid Bedfordshire. Rutherglen is another by-election where we are determined to fight for every single vote.
“It's absolutely clear that people are crying out for change, absolutely clear that in Mid Bedfordshire people are fed up with Nadine Dorries, I've been there myself and heard this firsthand from people. Reflected in Mid Bedfordshire is the feeling of the whole country, which is you've had 13 years, nobody is now better off than they were 13 years ago. It's time to go. It's time for change.”
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Mr Starmer spent part of his summer break in the Lake District where he was drafted in to help search for a dog owned by friends of his wife when he went missing for several days. The Labour leader and his family handed out leaflets appealing for people to look for Chilli, a nine-year-old crossbred retriever and springer spaniel that was eventually found by a climber. He said: “What was really amazing was all the local community and people on holiday, it was this collective search for the dog, which eventually led to the dog being found which was fantastic.”
Rishi Sunak must ditch 'duff' plan to axe railway ticket offices
The Tory plan to close almost every railway ticket office in England must be ditched, Keir Starmer has said.
The Labour leader called on ministers to ditch the idea without delay after more than 500,000 people took part in a public consultation. He told the Mirror: “There's an urgency for the government to pull this plan. It's a dud. The sooner the government hears that and does that the better.”
Mr Starmer accused ministers of “hollowing out communities” He said: “Across Britain, what you see is something very British which is people coming together and wanting to come together. You saw that particularly in the pandemic. People within their community not just helping with food deliveries, but going and knocking on doors checking that somebody is alright.
“That spirit is there, that is the British spirit. We need to harness that. And I think that what the government's doing is hollowing that out. And we need to rebuild that sense of community. I think that is among the reasons why an incoming Labour government needs to be bold and reforming when it comes to devolving more power, resource and decision making to our local communities. I think that people with skin in the game are the best decision makers about where they live.”
A public consultation on the plan to shut ticket offices at 974 railway stations across England closed on Friday. Passenger groups will now process the half a million responses as train firms and ministers decide whether to push ahead.
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