Keir Starmer unveils Labour’s five missions for the country

Sir Keir Starmer will outline the five “missions” he will put at the centre of his party’s offer to voters at the next election in a speech in Manchester.

One of the Labour leader’s goals will be to make the UK the highest-growth economy in the G7.

The others include making Britain a “clean energy superpower” and cutting health inequalities.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set out five pledges of his own last month.

Labour says the missions set out by Sir Keir will shape its next election manifesto, and guide the party if it forms the next government.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of his speech, the Labour leader said the country had been in a “crouched position for many years” and lacked “the confidence to go forward”.

He added that “almost nothing seems to be working” and promised to provide long-term solutions rather than “sticking plaster politics”.

Momentum, the left-wing Labour campaign group, described his missions as “vapid”.

Labour has specified “measurable outcomes” for its missions to boost the economy and make Britain a “superpower” for green energy.

These are securing the “highest sustained growth” in the G7 group of rich nations, made up of the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

The target for clean energy includes the party’s already-announced goal of generating all of Britain’s electricity without fossil fuels by 2030.

The party says targets for the other three missions – improving the NHS, reforming the justice system, and raising education standards – will be set out in the coming months.

Sir Keir will say the goals will help Labour deliver “mission-driven government” that is better able to tackle long-term issues.

In a continuation of his bid to broaden the party’s appeal to voters, he will say his approach to the economy would be neither “state control” nor “pure free markets”.

Labour has a lead of around 20% over the Conservatives in opinion polls, suggesting the party would win the general election which is likely to be held next year.

Sir Keir’s five “missions” echo Labour’s five-point pledge card issued by Tony Blair ahead of his 1997 election landslide election victory. Ed Miliband also set out five pledges ahead of his unsuccessful campaign to win the 2015 election.

At his new year speech last month, Mr Sunak set out his own five goals for his premiership, which. like those set out by Sir Keir, included growing the economy.

He also promised to halve inflation this year, ensure the UK’s debt is falling, cut NHS waiting lists, and pass new laws to stop small boat crossings.Momentum attacked Sir Keir for abandoning promises he made when running for Labour leader in 2020 including, introducing common ownership of energy, water and rail.

“These policies are more vital and popular now than ever – yet today, his promises lie in tatters, ditched in favour of the reheated Third-Way Blairism typified by these latest, vapid ‘missions’,” a spokesman said.

Asked on the BBC if he had broken pledges on common ownership, Sir Keir argued that he had to “adapt” to changing circumstances such as the war in Ukraine, the coronavirus pandemic and the “kamikaze budget” under Liz Truss.

He said he would consider what was affordable and that the public wanted “a government of sound money”.