Starmer lambasts Tories’ ‘pathetic squabbles’ and calls for general election
The Labour leader told the TUC congress the Government had reached a ‘a new chaotic low’.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir Keir Starmer has lambasted the Tory Government’s “pathetic squabbles” as he called for an immediate general election.
The Labour leader accused Prime Minister Liz Truss of being “completely out of touch” with the reality of the British economy and wrecking national and household finances.
Sir Keir’s address to the annual Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference in Brighton on Thursday came after a calamitous day for Ms Truss’s premiership which saw a Cabinet minister resign and an open revolt in the Commons.
Britain deserves better, Britain cannot afford the chaos of the Conservatives any more, we need a general election now
Sir Keir began his speech by making reference to the chaos in Westminster.
“With everything going on, I’m a bit nervous to turn my phone off for half an hour or 45 minutes,” he said.
“We really don’t know will have happened by the time we turn it back on.”
He said the events in Parliament the evening before had been “even by their standards, a new chaotic low”.
Sir Keir said that his own sister, a care worker, “struggles to make ends meet” amid the cost-of-living crisis.
“The Prime Minister is completely out of touch with the reality of the British economy,” Sir Keir said.
“She doesn’t care about the distribution of wealth in Britain, She hasn’t U-turned on that…
“Working people will not be better off because we make the rich, richer.
“It’s pure dogma – the world has moved on from these discredited ideas. And every day the Tories stick to them, is another nail in the coffin of Britain’s economic credibility.”
He added: “Britain deserves better, Britain cannot afford the chaos of the Conservatives any more, we need a general election now.
“Never again can Britain take seriously their claim to be a party of aspiration or sound money.”
At the same time Sir Keir warned that the damage inflicted on the public finances by Ms Truss’s Government would mean that a Labour government would face difficult decisions if it was to restore confidence in the UK economy.
“Things are going to be really tough now and during my Labour government,” he said, stressing that Labour would be “the party of sound money” and take no “risks” with the public finances.
“When you lose control of the economy, as the Tories have done, you lose the ability to do anything and working people pay the price. That will not happen with Labour, I will not let it.”
He vowed that a government led by him would “put this Tory trickle-down nonsense back in its box once and for all”.
Sir Keir also accused Ms Truss of “insulting” British workers while pledging a Labour government would repeal any new Conservative legislation restricting the right to strike.
Highlighting a leaked audio recording of Ms Truss when she was treasury chief secretary under Theresa May saying workers in the UK needed “a bit more graft”, Sir Keir said: “It’s delusional. It’s insulting.”
“If they bring forward further restrictions on workers’ rights or the right to strike, we will oppose and we will repeal,” he said.
Unite union general secretary Sharon Graham said Labour must convey a “clear and action-based” message to show Britons what they can vote for.
“Warm words are welcome, but we now need a message from Labour that is clear and action-based that shows the country what they can vote for, not just what they should vote against,” she said.