State-backed energy and a ‘sense of hope’: Starmer sets out stall as No 10 contender
Keir Starmer pledged to establish a publicly owned energy company in his first year in office as he reflected Labour’s growing hope that the party is on the path back to power.
In a conference speech that set out his vision for government, the Labour leader told delegates they must “spend each day” between now and the next election working to earn the trust of the British people, adding: “As in 1945, 1964, 1997, this is a Labour moment.”
He said the Conservatives had “lost control of the British economy” and crashed the pound, not for the benefit of ordinary working people, but for tax cuts for the richest 1% in society.
“Don’t forget. Don’t forgive. The only way to stop this is with a Labour government.”
The Tories, he said, had wrecked public services through austerity.
“We have to be honest. I’d love to stand here and say Labour will fix everything. But the damage they’ve done – to our finances and public services – means this rescue will be harder than ever.”
However, he added: “Britain will get its future back.”
After a conference in Liverpool that was striking for the reappearance of corporate sponsors and business groups, Starmer claimed Labour was now the party of “sound money” as he sought to highlight divisions within the chaotic Tory government, with the first signs of friction emerging between Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng over how to deal with the tanking pound.
Conservative MPs said they had been called by party whips asking them how they felt about the proposals outlined in the mini-budget, with some MPs suggesting they were thinking hard about whether they could vote for the forthcoming finance bill.
In Liverpool, Starmer told the packed conference hall that being a party of sound money meant not being able to do
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