Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for lower taxes for working people, but only after the economy has grown. In his new year speech, he urged voters to choose “project hope” to defeat what he called the Conservatives’ “politics of divide and decline” with a “crush”. He criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson for delaying change while “squatting in Downing Street for months on end”, but made no specific policy announcements.
With Labour currently ahead of the ruling party in polls, Sir Keir said his party was now prepared for a general election, which must be held by the end of January 2025. He emphasised the need to fight on the economy, stating that growth was key to public service funding. However, he argued for a “credible hope” that was frank about the challenges ahead but still left voters with a sense of possibility.
Sir Keir also opposed cutting inheritance tax, saying he was “fundamentally opposed” to “tax breaks for those who are already well-off when there’s nothing on offer for working people.” He pledged a “crackdown on cronyism”, promising a “zero tolerance” stance on the “darker side of Westminster”, including what he saw as abuse of public money and nomination of allies for honours.
It is now up to Chancellor Rishi Sunak to call an early election, but Sir Keir’s speech marks a clear signal of his party’s readiness to contest it. The lack of specific policy may suggest an intent to wait for the Conservatives to make the first move before setting out Labour’s own proposals. Regardless, with the quickly changing state of British politics, election prospects may be as unpredictable as anything else in the months ahead
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