Labour won’t spend its way out of Tory ‘mess’, says Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer is to warn that Labour “won’t be able to spend our way out” of the “mess” left by Tories – even though he recognises the need for investment.

In his first speech of 2023, the Labour leader will promise a “decade of national renewal” if he wins the next general election.

But he will also say that the party won’t be “getting its big government chequebook out again”.

The Tories accused Sir Keir of “yet another desperate relaunch attempt”.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivered his own New Year address, promising to halve inflation, cut NHS waiting lists and tackle small boats crossings by the next election.

In his speech, Sir Keir will also look ahead to the election, pledging to create the “sort of hope you can build your future around”.

Speaking in Stratford, East London, he will say: “That’s why showing how we can change the country is so important this year. We can give people a sense of possibility again, show light at the end of the tunnel.”

But he will warn voters – and his own party – not to expect big increases in public spending.

“Of course, investment is required – I can see the damage the Tories have done to our public services as plainly as anyone,” he will say.

“But we won’t be able to spend our way out of their mess – it’s not as easy as that. There is no substitute for a robust private sector, creating wealth in every community.”

He also promised to set out new policies in the coming weeks that will form the heart of Labour’s next manifesto.

Labour has already promised large-scale constitutional change, including abolishing the House of Lords.

Sir Keir will argue the changes will create “a fairer, greener, more dynamic country”.

Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi, said Sir Keir should “unveil a plan for people’s priorities” instead of giving “cliché-laden speeches”.

Mr Zahawi said: “He’s got nothing to say on how to cut crime, get immigration down, and reduce borrowing – that’s what the nation wants to see.”

Sir Keir is expected focus some of the speech on the current crisis in the NHS. Doctors have in the past days complained of “intolerable and unsustainable” pressure on the NHS, with some A&E departments in a “complete state of crisis”. A number of hospitals have declared critical incidents in recent days, meaning they cannot function as usual.

The health charity the Kings Fund has found the NHS needs investment of £9.2bn just to modernise equipment and carry out urgent repairs on buildings.

Earlier this year a group of MPs said the NHS was already in the worst workforce crisis in its history. In England the NHS is short of 12,000 hospital doctors and more than 50,000 nurses and midwives.

In his first speech of the year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asked the public to PM: Hold me to account on cutting NHS waiting lists on cutting NHS waiting lists.

He also pledged to halve the UK’s inflation rate this year as one of “five promises” to voters.

The OBR predicts the current inflation rate of 10.7% will fall to 3.8% by the last three months of this year.

Mr Sunak also said he would “make sure” the UK’s national debt is falling, grow the economy and pass new laws to stop small boat crossings.

The prime minister has a maximum of two years before the next election.

Labour’s poll lead is narrowing but the aggregated polls of voting intention show Labour at 46% compared to 24% for the Conservatives. This is down from a peak of Labour at 52% of intended votes compared to 22% for Tories in the final days of Liz Truss’ premiership.