Starmer Pledges Measurable ‘Milestones’ to Rebuild Britain After Rocky Start

Five months since his Labour Party won a landslide election victory, Starmer set out firm targets, something he hopes will allow voters to measure his government’s success in meeting his so-called missions before Britain’s next vote due in 2029.

His officials deny Thursday’s “plan for change” is a reset of his new government, but rather a way to make his goals more concrete and understandable to voters increasingly distrustful of politics after years of chaos under the Conservatives and Labour’s missteps in its first months in power. 

But it is risky, with his and his party’s popularity plunging and the opposition Conservative Party and the right-wing populist Reform Party ready to pounce if his government fails to achieve the targets, particularly on immigration.

Launching his plans at a film studio not far from the capital London, Starmer said: “(This) is my plan for change. The driving purpose of this government and we will stay the course. We will fix the foundations, repair the damage, reform government.”

Labour campaigned before its July 4 election win on five missions – boosting economic growth, accelerating steps towards reaching net zero, reducing waiting times in the state-run health service, tackling crime and improving education.

He then set out six “first steps to change”, prioritising economic stability, cutting waiting times in the health service, controlling Britain’s borders, setting up Great British Energy, cracking down on antisocial behaviour and teacher recruitment.

PLAN FOR CHANGE

His latest “plan for change” promised to raise living standards for every part of Britain and recommitted to an earlier pledge to aim to deliver the “highest sustained growth” in the group of the world’s seven largest advanced economies.

It also reiterated a previous target to build 1.5 million more homes over the next five years – a goal no British government has achieved in decades, and fast-track the planning process for 150 major infrastructure projects.

Starmer’s government says the new list of six so-called “milestones” will “allow everyone to track progress, so that every person in this country can see exactly how we measure up to the things that matter to them”.

But they are also a call to public officials in the government’s many departments to start reforming how public services are run to try to save money at a time when the public finances are badly stretched.

It is a bold bid to set firm targets to be achieved before the end of this parliament in 2029, but one which Starmer hopes will turn the page on criticism of his government on everything from its use of campaign donations to a tax-raising budget which prompted an outcry from businesses and farmers.

Since winning election in July, Starmer and his Labour government’s approval ratings have plunged. A poll by Opinium at the weekend showed Starmer’s net approval ratings had fallen to -32% from +19% around the time of the election.

Source: Reuters