Keir Starmer's priorities to fix Britain with plans to slash NHS waiting times (2024)

Lucy Allan suspended from Tory party after backing Reform candidate

Tory MP Lucy Allan has been suspended by the Conservative Party for backing Reform UK’s candidate in the Telford seat she is vacating.

National Service policy descends into farce

Rishi Sunak's National Service plan descended further into chaos today as it emerged one in five armed forces members would be aged 18 if it goes ahead.

The PM's bid to force 18 year olds into the military or voluntary work would swell the military by 30,000 to 160,000.

But it would mean almost 20% of the overall number would be on National Service, raising questions about its effectiveness.

National Service chaos as surprise Tory policy descends into farce

Outgoing Tory MP backs Reform candidate for her seat

Tory MP Lucy Allan, who announced last year that she would not stand at the next General Election, has endorsed Reform UK candidate Alan Adams for her Telford seat.

It means she has decided not to back the local Conservative candidate, Hannah Campbell, despite them both being members of the same party.

She wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "I am supporting Alan Adams to be Telford’s next MP."

A Reform spokesman said: "Of course we are absolutely delighted that she is backing our candidate in Telford.

"She, like many Conservatives, feels that the Reform party represents traditional centre-right values and priorities in a way that the Conservative Party has long forgotten."

Rishi Sunak's awkward attempt at dribbling

Rishi Sunak appeared to get himself in a bit of a muddle while trying to run with the ball on an election visit to Chesham United in Buckinghamshire today.

Tweeting the awkward footage, top lawyer Gareth Weetman joked: "You’d think after the downpour last week he’d be able to dribble"

You’d think after the downpour last week he’d be able to dribble

pic.twitter.com/iA5o43BofI

— Gaz Weetman (@GazWeetman) May 27, 2024

Shadow minister stands down over 'demands' on health

In the last hour, Labour's Barbara Keeley has announced she will not be contesting her Worsley & Eccles South seat at the General Election.

The Shadow Minister for Music and Tourism said she was recovering from recent treatment at a London hospital, and that the election had been called "unexpectedly early".

Keir recalls first job picking up stones on farm

The Labour leader also opened up on his upbringing in Oxsted - and recalled his first job picking up stones off a farm.

He said of the Surrey town: "I loved growing up there. You could make easy pocket money clearing stones for the local farmers, that was actually my first job. And you could play football until the cows came home – literally. At my first football club, Boulthurst Athletic, we shared our home pitch with the local cows.

"It’s part of why I love our country. Not just the beauty – or the football – also the sort of quiet, uncomplaining resilience. The togetherness of the countryside. That is the best of British."

Tories could 'blow the economy up all over again'

Sir Keir Starmer told an audience in the Sussex seaside town of Lancing today that Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives could repeat the mini-budget disaster of 2022 - and has pledged economic stability under Labour.

Attacking Rishi Sunak's unfunded tax promises on the campaign trail so far, he said: "He says he wants to get rid of National Insurance. £46bn – that is currently used on your pension and the NHS and he’s not prepared to say how he will fund it. That means, at this election – either your pension is under threat, or he’s prepared to blow the economy up all over again.

"He hasn’t learned a thing. Working people need stability. They want things to improve, they want things to move on, they want change.

"But they expect you to take care of the public finances as well. Because if you lose control of the economy – it’s working people who pay the price. Liz Truss lost control of the economy. I am not prepared to let a Labour Government ever do that to working people."

Starmer says General Election is a choice of 'whose side are you on'

Sir Keir Starmer has said the General Election amounted to a choice about “whose side are you on” as he promised to stand up for working people and restore trust in British politics.

The Labour leader said 14 years of Conservative “chaos” had led to a “crisis” in the national culture. In his first major speech of the campaign, he sought to persuade voters that he could be trusted to deliver economic stability and protect national security.

Speaking in Tory-held Lancing, West Sussex, he said: “Elections are about more than individual changes and policies, but about values, temperament, character and a bigger question: whose side are you on? Who do you hold in your mind’s eye when you are making decisions?

“Everything I have fought for has been shaped by my life, every change I have made to this party has been about a cause, the answer to that question, the only answer: The working people of this country delivering on their aspirations, earning their respect, serving their interests.”

Sunak says stipend would be paid to people doing national service

Rishi Sunak has said 18-year-olds who sign up for the military section of his national service plan would be paid a stipend to help with living costs.

The scheme will cost £2.5 billion a year by 2029-30, according to the Conservatives’ figures.

The Prime Minister, answering questions on TikTok about the Tory policy, said: “As is the case in other countries, we will provide a stipend to help with living costs for those doing the military element alongside their training. Meanwhile, on the civic side, we will make sure organisations have funding for training and administration.”

He was answering questions on the Conservatives’ TikTok account. The party is using the social media site even though security concerns have seen its use banned from Government devices.

SNP can kick Tories out of every seat in Scotland, says leader Swinney

SNP leader John Swinney has said his party can remove the Tories from “every single one of the Conservative-held seats in Scotland” on an election campaign visit to the Scottish Secretary’s constituency.

The First Minister visited Dumfries, part of Alister Jack’s Dumfries and Galloway seat, calling on people to vote SNP to “get rid of the Conservatives”. The Tories won six Scottish seats at the last general election, with the SNP’s Lisa Cameron later crossing the floor to join the Conservatives.

Mr Swinney, Scotland’s First Minister, told Sky News: “I’m down in Dumfries today in the south of Scotland pitching the message that the SNP is the challenger in every single one of the Conservative-held seats in Scotland. If people want to get rid of the Conservatives then they’ve got to vote SNP to make sure that’s what happens. Right across the country, if people want to get rid of the Conservatives, the SNP is the best vehicle to do that.”

Questioned if he is focusing on the Conservative strongholds as Labour will “beat (his party) more easily in other areas”, Mr Swinney replied: “We’re going to take the campaign to every part of the country.

“On Saturday I was touring a number of constituencies in central Scotland which will be SNP-Labour contests, but here in the south of Scotland we’ve got an opportunity to remove a number of Conservative MPs who make up the Conservative representation who have supported austerity, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis, and inflicted that on Scotland.”

Starmer tells Netanyahu to stop offensive against Rafah

Benjamin Netanyahu’s offensive against Rafah must stop, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Palestinian medics said Israeli air strikes killed at least 35 people on Sunday and hit tents for refugees who had fled to the city in southern Gaza. Sir Keir, who has faced pressure within Labour to take a harder stance on Israel’s actions in Gaza, said the scenes were “horrifying”.

Asked what he would tell Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu if he were prime minister, the Labour leader said: “Stop. Those scenes, those reports, are horrifying and what makes it worse was this was a safe zone with women and children and families that have already fled a number of times. It’s horrifying to see that. I’ve been saying for some time the Rafah offensive should not take place.”

He added: “I was shocked by what I saw overnight, I think any human being would be shocked by what they saw. It’s got to stop.” Israel said it hit a Hamas installation and killed two senior militants. It said it was investigating reports that civilians were harmed.

French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged” by the Israeli strikes “that have killed many displaced persons”.

“These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians,” he said. “I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire.”

Young Conservatives president lists national service among reasons for leaving party

A young Conservative party president who defected to the Liberal Democrats listed Rishi Sunak's national service plan as among the reasons he left the party.

Harvey Whitby, 20, president of the Birmingham Young Conservatives, hit out at the party over its announcement. The scheme would compel 18-year-olds to complete a year-long national service stint.

"The failures of Rishi Sunak's leadership have been profoundly disappointing," he said. "His inability to effectively address any real issues and his failure to inspire confidence in our party's vision have been disheartening."

Whitby continued: "Policies such as the rushed reintroduction of national service, without any clear plan or consideration of its impact on the youth vote, are particularly concerning. I fear these missteps won't just lose us the coming election but could lock us out of the government for a generation or more."

He said the policy was one reason he joined the Liberal Democrats. "Britain needs a true centre party, and I believe only the Liberal Democrats can provide this."

I'm done. pic.twitter.com/soBAwdf9Kd

— Harvey Whitby (@WhitbyHarvey) May 26, 2024

Tory veterans minister derides 'predictable reaction' to national service plan

Conservative veterans minister Johnny Mercer said there had been a "predictable reaction" to Rishi Sunak's national service plan from "the usual quarters."

Mercer, a former British army officer, took to social media to praise the scheme that would compel 18-year-olds to complete either military or voluntary national service. Following Sunak's announcement of the eye-catching plan, critics questioned how it would be paid for and asked for more detail about it.

Taking to X today, Mercer said: "Anything that unites communities with a sense of service and awareness of what the other organisations do is great. And it gives pride and purpose and challenge to those that often feel most left behind."

He continued, "Of course it's not perfect" before adding the military aspect was a small part of the scheme.

Predictable reaction to the National Service policy from the usual quarters.

Anything that unites communities with a sense of service and awareness of what the other organisations do is great. And it gives pride and purpose and challenge to those that often feel most left behind pic.twitter.com/fXbD1bP5ki

— Rt Hon Johnny Mercer (@JohnnyMercerUK) May 27, 2024

Rishi Sunak responds to Keir Starmer's keystone speech

Rishi Sunak responded to Labour leader Keir Starmer's first major speech of the General Election campaign, branding it "waffle."

The Prime Minister responded to a Conservatives post on X, formerly Twitter, that was critical of Starmer's speech in West Sussex. He said: "Not a single plan for the future. Our country needs bold action, not waffle."

Starmer today outlined six priorities for the UK should Labour win the General Election on July 4. Among his planned first steps include: Cutting NHS waiting times, boosting police numbers and setting up Great British Energy to bring costs down.

Not a single plan for the future.

Our country needs bold action, not waffle. https://t.co/wNLo2jToFe

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 27, 2024

Keir Starmer mocks 'teenage Dad's Army' national service scheme

Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of having "no fight" in him as he mocked plans to form a "teenage Dad's Army."

In his first keynote speech of the campaign, the Labour leader hit out over Tory plans to force 18-year-olds to complete some form of national service. Addressing Labour activists in West Sussex, Starmer said: "All this spinning round and round, it’s symbolic of the chaos and the instability. You’ve seen that again over the past few days."

Referencing the WW2 sitcom, which followed elderly volunteers in the home guard, Starmer added: "The desperation of this National Service policy - a teenage Dad’s Army - paid for by cancelling levelling-up funding and money from tax avoidance that we would use to invest in our NHS.

"All elections are a choice and this is a clear one: levelling up and the NHS with Labour. Or more desperate chaos with the Tories. That is the choice."

Read more: Keir Starmer mocks Rishi Sunak's 'teenage Dad's Army' national service plan

Tory minister distances himself from national service scheme

Steve Baker, the Conservative minister for Northern Ireland, has distanced himself from Rishi Sunak's scheme to compel 18-year-olds to do a form of national service.

On his website, Baker today took a veiled swipe at the plan, writing: "During a General Election campaign, policy is not decided by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed: It is decided by the leader supported by political advisers unknown."

He added: "Before any more policy is announced, I want to be absolutely clear where I stand for the electors of Wycombe...when people are doing no harm, government should leave them to work through their own virtues and vices in voluntary association with other people.

"Government ought to provide a quality, affordable safety net, but MPs and ministers are no more perfect than everyone else and should have the humility to act accordingly."

Read more: Tory minister lashes out over national service plan in blow to Rishi Sunak

Conservatives brand Starmer's keynote speech 'wearisome and rambling'

Tory party chair Richard Holden branded Keir Starmer's first keystone speech of the General Election campaign as "wearisome and rambling."

The Conservative told Sky News that Stamer "stood up to tell the country absolutely nothing." In his speech, Starmer outlined his top priorities for the nation, including cutting NHS waiting times and hiring more police.

"In this wearisome and rambling speech there was no policy, no substance, and no plan," Holden said. "The question remains: Will Starmer ever find the courage and conviction to tell us what he would do, or does he simply not know."

He then called on voters to "stick with the plan that is working" and vote Conservative at the General Election.

Tory does not rule out parents being prosecuted if kids don't do national service

A Conservative minister failed to rule out whether parents could be prosecuted if their adult children refuse to do national service.

Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan today praised Rishi Sunak's scheme to compel 18-year-olds to sign up for military service or undergo some form of volunteering. The eye-catching scheme has come under fire from people across the political spectrum over its apparent lack of detail.

But when quizzed by Times Radio over whether parents of adult children would be fined in a similar way to those whose schoolchildren repeatedly miss out on their education, Tevelyan failed to rule it out. She said: "I'm not going to write the detailed policy now - that's what a royal commission is for.

"The Prime Minister has been clear he would bring in a national service act in the same way that Labour did when education or training to 18 was brought in."

Starmer tells The Mirror he 'will look at' voter ID legislation

Starmer sets out vision should Labour win General Election

Keir Starmer vowed to cut NHS waiting times and boost police numbers as among his first priorities should Labour win the General Election.

The Labour leader said people needed economic stability, better access to healthcare and to feel safer in their communities as he delivered his first keynote speech of the General Election. Starmer set out six first steps for his government should he win the election, which are:

• Economic stability
  
• Cutting NHS waiting times by funding 40,000 extra appointments via a crackdown on tax avoidance and non-doms
  
• A "new border security command" to tackle people-smugglers operating in the Channel
  
• Creating "Great British Energy" that Starmer said will be "owned by the taxpayer making money for the taxpayer"
  
• Bringing in 13,000 new police and community support officers to crack down on anti-social behaviour - paid for by cutting down on "wasteful contracts"
  
• Training 6,500 new teachers by removing tax breaks for private schools

Labour leader Keir Starmer hits out at Conservatives in keynote speech

Keir Starmer blasted the Conservatives' record in government and urged voters to side with Labour to "rebuild our country."

The Labour leader hit out at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's claims that Britain's economic situation had improved. "I'm fed up of listening to the Prime Minister tell you that we've turned the corner. It is a form of disrespect."

He said "every working family" was paying £5,000 more and that taxes were higher than at any point after WW2. Starmer also hoped to win over undecided voters by claiming he had "changed the Labour Party permanently."

The Labour leader said he did not know whether "country first and party second" was "new politics, or whether it's simply a return to something older that used to be taken for granted."

Keir Starmer makes first keynote speech of General Election campaign

Labour leader Keir Starmer praised Brits' "resilience" amid the cost of living "hardship" during his first major campaign speech of the General Election.

Addressing an audience in West Sussex, Starmer spoke about growing up on the Surrey-Kent border, adding it was "about as English as it gets." He praised the "togetherness of the countryside" and said hardship was being felt in communities away from the nation's cities.

He said: "Anyone who thinks that hardship in Britain is found only in our cities, anyone who thinks there's no struggle outside of our cities - yes, even here in the South East - let me tell you, they know nothing of the countryside."

Starmer shared his family's experiences growing up and that they were "scared of debt." He added that his family "would choose the bill they wouldn't pay" and that it was the phone service they decided to go without.

Nigel Farage called out over 'racist' response to national service scheme

Leading Brexiteer Nigel Farage was challenged by a TV presenter over "offensive" comments made in response to the Conservative's national service scheme.

The Reform UK founder's incendiary rant came as he hit out at Rishi Sunak's "joke" of a policy that will compel 18-year-olds to complete military or volunteer service. Appearing on Sky News on Sunday, Farage said the commitment was "impractical."

He added: "Most interestingly, we have a growing number of young people in this country who do not subscribe to British values, in fact loathe much of what we stand for." Presenter Sir Trevor Phillips interrupted, asking: "Who are we talking about then?"

The ex-Ukip leader responded: "I think we see them on the streets of London every Saturday." When pressed on whether he was referring to Muslims, he replied: "We are."

Phillips then challenged the presenter, who said: "Are you sure you want to make the blanket accusation you've just made that Muslims are somehow less patriotic than other British people." But Farage appeared to stand by his comments and continued his rant.

Read more: Nigel Farage called out for 'racist' response to national service plan

Labour's Bridget Phillipson says Jeremy Corbyn is 'in the past'

Labour's Bridget Phillipson has claimed Jeremy Corbyn is in the party's past as he vows to fight on as an independent candidate at the upcoming General Election.

The shadow education secretary was quizzed by Sky News on the former Labour leader's chances of winning Islington North on July 4 and replied: "Jeremy's in the past now."

"He's not a Labour member," she continued. "He's not a Labour candidate. We've got a brilliant candidate standing in Islington North who'll be fighting hard for every vote."

Corbyn was expelled from the Labour Party after he confirmed he would stand as an independent candidate. The veteran left-winger vowed to be "an independent voice for equality."

He previously said: "I am here to represent the people of Islington North on exactly the same principles that I've stood by my whole life: social justice, human rights and peace.”

Lib Dems pledge to fix Scotland's 'dental deserts'

The Liberal Democrats have vowed to fix Scotland's "dental deserts" as it launches its campaign north of the border today.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey hit out at the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Conservative governments in Scotland and Westminster, respectively, over their record of oral health services. Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the two governments had been "neglecting" dentistry and turning swathes of the nation into "dental deserts."

According to the BBC, Cole-Hamilton said: "The SNP promised to scrap dental charges, but instead they have introduced new charges and doubled the price of some procedures. Dentists are being driven away from the NHS because working with this SNP government is harder than pulling teeth. No matter how much pain you are in, seeing an NHS dentist in Scotland is harder than ever before.

Cole-Hamilton will join Davey today to launch their General Election campaign in Scotland.

Labour to carry out 100-day review of threats facing Britain

Labour will bring together M15 chiefs and Whitehall departments to conduct a 100-day review of all threats facing the country, including from Russia and Iran, should it win the General Election.

Keir Starmer hopes the review would inform Labour's plans to protect Brits in an increasingly dangerous world. The security review aims to identify gaps in regulation and develop fresh plans to keep the public safe.

Yvette Cooper, Labour's shadow home secretary, said the review would be modelled on the country's response to 9/11. According to The Times, she said "clear, sharp leadership and direction" was essential to keep the UK from being "outpaced by its adversaries."

The review comes as Starmer hopes to convince the country that Labour can be trusted with national security. Voters see Labour as better than the Conservative on most issues, with the exception of defence which 22 percent feel Rishi Sunak would do a better job compared to Starmer on 20 percent, according to YouGov.

Tory challenged over details of national service scheme

Conservative Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan was challenged over the details of Rishi Sunak's eye-catching national service scheme for 18-year-olds.

Trevelyan failed to explain many details about the scheme, adding the royal commission - a public inquiry - would examine what exemptions there would be to make it "clear for all." Speaking to Sky News, she said: "But fundamentally, the Prime Minister's been clear that this would be for the vast majority of our young people. This would be a mandatory part of both their continued education and journey into adulthood."

She was then challenged to explain whether the scheme could unfairly impact young carers who might lose career opportunities compared to teens from more privileged backgrounds. Trevelyan replied: "The royal commission would be invited to look at the detail. Those sorts of specific issues, cases, would be looked at, and some thoughtful policy would be set out accordingly."

Labour's Bridget Phillipson vows to make childcare affordable for more parents

Labour will put a pledge to make childcare more affordable to more parents at the heart of its manifesto, shadow education Bridget Pillipson had said.

Phillipson said fixing Britain's broken system will be her "number one priority" should Labour win the General Election. She told The Mirror how early years education "is where you make the single biggest difference to children's life chances even before they arrive at school."

She added: "It's how we will make sure that all children, no matter what their background, have every chance to thrive." The 40-year-old, who grew up in a council house near Sunderland and received free school meals, said Labour would transform education as it did under Tony Blair when she was a teen.

"I'm determined that we'll put education front and centre of national life once more," she said. "That's what I experienced under the last Labour government - the value of education, the impact that had on my life. And I'm determined that as Education Secretary in a Labour government we will do that once more and we'll renew education, education, education for the next generation of children."

Read more: Labour's Bridget Phillipson vows to make affordable childcare available for more parents

Rishi Sunak to double down on national service scheme

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to double down on his controversial plan to bring back national service amid criticism over a lack of detail and whether it is fully costed.

Sunak last week announced plans to compel 18-year-olds to complete some form of national service should the Conservatives win the General Election on July 4. But the announcement came under swift criticism as Labour claimed the scheme had not been fully costed.

According to The Financial Times, the Prime Minister is set to double down on the idea. Sunak said one way to "get the most out of National Service" would be to encourage bosses to "consider those who complete the armed forces placement during job applications."

Critics, including major Conservative figures, have hit out at Sunak's announcement. Former Tory defence secretary Michael Portillo told GB News the plan seemed to have been produced "like a rabbit out of a hat" and that it could damage the party's reputation for fiscal responsibility.

Keir Starmer vows to 'fight for you' in speech marking first full campaign week

Labour leader Keir Starmer will tell the country, "I will fight for you," as he attempts to win over undecided voters.

Starmer will say that Brits are sick of the Tories after 14 years as he battles to win the votes of those who remain undecided. His speech will come after Rachel Reeves said she would not raise national insurance or income tax if she becomes Chancellor.

“Whatever the polls say, I know there are countless people who haven’t decided how they’ll vote in this election,” Starmer will say in a speech marking the start of the first full week of campaigning. “They’re fed up with the failure, chaos and division of the Tories, but they still have questions about us. Has Labour changed enough? Do I trust them with my money, our borders, and our security?

“My answer is yes you can – because I have changed this party. Permanently. This has been my driving mission since day one. I was determined to change Labour so that it could serve the British people.”

Read More: Keir Starmer woos undecided voters with pledge to 'fight for you'