Sir Keir Starmer promises Labour will ‘stop the chaos’

Sir Keir Starmer has urged the public to vote Labour to “stop the chaos”.

Putting forward his vision for the future, the Labour leader said it was “time for a change” after 14 years of Tory rule.

And he said that only his party had the long-term plan needed to “rebuild Britain”.

Sir Keir made his speech just minutes after the Prime Minister had announced the date of the election in Downing Street.

Instead of speaking outside – where Mr Sunak had been drenched by a sudden downpour of rain – the Labour leader made his speech inside, flanked by Union flags.

He said there were three reasons why voters should decide to “change Britain with Labour” – the first of which was “because we will stop the chaos” and bring “stability” back to the UK.

“Look around our country: the sewage in our rivers, people waiting on trolleys in A&E, crime virtually unpunished, mortgages and food prices through the roof.

“It’s all – every bit of it – a direct result of the Tory chaos in Westminster.

“Time and again, they pursue their own interests. Rather than tackling the issues that affect your family.

“And if they get another five years, they will feel entitled to carry on exactly as they are. Nothing will change.

“A vote for Labour is a vote for stability – economic and political. A politics that treads more lightly on all our lives. A vote to stop the chaos.”

Second, Sir Keir said it was “time for change” and that a vote for Labour would “reset both our economy and our politics so that they once again serve the interests of working people”.

He said economic strength was not “gifted from those at the top”, and accused the Conservatives of leaving Britain “exposed, insecure and unable to unlock the potential of every community”.

The third promise was a “long-term plan to rebuild Britain: a plan that is ready to go, fully-costed and fully funded”.

“We can deliver economic stability,” he said. “Cut the NHS waiting times. Secure our borders with a new border security command.

“Harness great British energy to cut your bills for good. Tackle anti-social behaviour. And get the teachers we need in your children’s classroom.”

Sir Keir said the country had been waiting for a general election, adding: “It will feel like a long campaign – I’m sure of that.

“Over the course of the last four years, we have changed the Labour Party and returned it once more to the service of working people.

“All we ask now – humbly – is to do exactly the same for our country, and return Britain to the service of working people.”

He promised a “new spirit of service”, which would see “country first, party second”.

On a personal note, the Labour leader said: “I am well aware of the cynicism people hold towards politicians at the moment.

“But I came into politics late, having served our country as leader of the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Service of our country is the reason – and the only reason – why I am standing here now, asking for your vote.”

He concluded: “And I believe with patience, determination and that commitment to service there is so much pride and potential we can unlock across our country.

“So, here it is – the future of the country, in your hands. On July 4 you have the choice. And together, we can stop the chaos.

“We can turn the page. We can start to rebuild Britain. And change our country.”

Labour also swiftly put out a video launching its campaign, but the party was forced to quickly take it down after a typo was spotted.

The short clip, posted shortly after the Prime Minister called the general election, contained the line “swich on GB Energy”, referring to Labour’s plan to create a new publicly-owned energy company.

The party has since removed the original video and replaced it with a corrected version, using the word, “switch”.

Captioned simply “Change” and set to an upbeat track, the film was supposed to fire the starting gun on Labour’s campaign.

Sir Keir opens the video by declaring: “It’s time for change. Britain is a great and proud country, but after 14 years under the Tories, nothing seems to work any more.”

He goes on to warn that things will “only get worse” if the Conservatives are granted five more years in Downing Street, insisting that only Labour will “get Britain’s future back”.

The Labour leader makes a point of stressing that the party has changed by distancing himself from his hard-Left predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, promising “economic stability at the forefront of everything we do”.

He ends by stating: “After 14 years, it’s time for change. Stop the chaos. Turn the page. Start to rebuild. Vote Labour.”

The Tories have long accused Sir Keir of not having a plan.

In his Downing Street speech on Wednesday, Rishi Sunak said the forthcoming election would be to “decide whether we want to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one with no plan and no certainty”.

He said Labour “have no plan; there is no bold action”.

Sir Keir insists he does have a plan, and last week he unveiled the six “first steps” he says a Labour government would prioritise.

They are: sticking to tough spending rules in order to deliver economic stability; setting up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean power energy company; cutting NHS waiting lists by providing 40,000 more appointments each week; launching a border security command to stop the gangs arranging small boat crossings; providing more neighbourhood police officers to reduce anti-social behaviour and introduced new penalties for offenders; and recruiting 6,500 teachers.

On Wednesday, Mr Sunak also repeated his accusation that Sir Keir cannot be trusted.

He said: “He has shown time and time again that he will take the easy way out and do anything to get power. If he was happy to abandon all the promises he made to become Labour leader once he got the job, how can you know that he won’t do exactly the same thing if he were to become prime minister?

“If you don’t have the conviction to stick to anything you say, if you don’t have the courage to tell people what you want to do, and if you don’t have a plan, how can you possibly be trusted to lead our country, especially at this most uncertain of times?”