Sir Keir Starmer Pledges Budget to Raise Living Standards and Rebuild Britain

Sir Keir Starmer said the Budget will focus on making life better for people, improving the NHS, and “rebuilding Britain.” He mentioned possible spending on schools, housing, and transport.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will present her first Budget on October 30. There are warnings about tough choices and higher taxes to fix the economy after years of Tory government. But Sir Keir made it clear that the goal is to “make people better off,” reports BirminghamLive.

Sir Keir Starmer Sets Ambitious Goals for Living Standards, NHS, and Economic Growth

The Prime Minister shared his three main goals: improving living standards so people feel better off, getting the NHS back on track for the future, and rebuilding the country, especially focusing on housing. He acknowledged that difficult choices, like removing winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners and addressing grim warnings about the state of the NHS and prisons, were necessary.

Talking to BBC’s Newscast, he stated: “I am convinced that by running towards those problems and tackling them, we will make for a better future rather than painting over them.”

He then added that “the central focus of the Budget is going to be on living standards, making people better off”. “It’s going to be on the health service and making sure we’re putting it back on its feet, making sure that we’re rebuilding Britain, we’re getting the growth that we need in, and we made really important manifesto commitments on things like waiting lists.”

Ahead of Monday’s international investment summit, Sir Keir stressed the need to reassure markets about the Government’s commitment to economic stability, which he sees as essential for growth. He said, “So in the Budget, we are taking difficult decisions. Winter fuel, for example, was a difficult decision, but we’re doing it to provide the economic stability that we need and the clarity of mission.”

On a BBC podcast, he mentioned that Heathrow Airport had to “expand the VIP area” because many investors are coming to the UK for the summit. In talks with the BBC and The Guardian, he noted that the Budget will include significant Government investments across the country.

In an interview with Newscast, he stated: “Yes, I believe in an active government. I think we should be up there with our sleeves rolled up, working with business.” He added, “I don’t think it’s a question of just saying ‘here’s a sort of pot of money and if you count the amount of money in the pot, that will tell you how serious we are’.”

He explained, “(It’s) What are you doing with your money, how you’re using it as a catalyst, and how is it going to unlock the private investment that we need? And that’s the way I see it.”

He also emphasized, “And that’s why we need to be really smart with investment. But we do need that investment.”

Sir Keir Criticises Outdated Ideas and Calls for Investment in Britain’s Future

In a discussion with The Guardian, he criticized the current state of affairs, saying, “While other countries have powered ahead, building big and taking advantage of new technology, Britain has been left to make do with their out-of-date ideas and out-of-date service.”

The Prime Minister asserted that it was “common sense to invest and build.” He further remarked, “If working people can’t afford a decent home, they can’t build good lives and careers.”

He also mentioned how poor public transport hurts productivity and how the condition of schools affects children’s education. He pointed out that NHS waiting lists are long because hospitals and technology haven’t been invested in.

The Prime Minister said he wouldn’t let issues about his former chief of staff Sue Gray or accepting gifts from donors distract him. He also wanted to show voters “a bit of the sunny uplands” after the Labour administration has spent months talking about the bad economic situation they took over.