Now shameless Starmer wraps himself in the f lag

KeIr Starmer defended Labour as a ‘patriotic party’ yesterday as he gave a speech in front of two Union flags to distance himself from his predecessor.

In a pitch to red Wall voters who shunned Jeremy Corbyn and defected to the Tories, he said he was proud of Britain and the Queen.

And the Labour leader hailed previous prime ministers Clement Attlee, Harold Wilson and Tony Blair, saying they had made Britain a better country. But he avoided all mention of Mr Corbyn despite serving in his Shadow Cabinet as Brexit spokesman.

Sir Keir said: ‘When I reflect on previous Labour governments, I have two thoughts. The first is what a record we have. These three chapters of change – Attlee, Wilson and Blair – made Britain a better country.

‘We must be the people who write the fourth chapter. The people who create a new Britain in the 21st century.

‘Second, nobody could look on that record and say that Labour is not a patriotic party. Those Labour governments had the ambition to build a society in which everyone can contribute and everyone is valued.’

He said he was very proud to stand in front of the Union Jack and had done so many times before.

Sir Keir also insisted that while Labour was not a nationalist party, it was a national party and accused Boris Johnson of exploiting the Union for political gain under the Brexit agreement.

Asked about the lack of mention of Mr Corbyn, he replied: ‘I don’t apologise for mentioning Attlee, Wilson and Blair. The thing that unites those three very

‘Whole purpose is to win power’

different prime ministers is that they all won. And unless the Labour Party is absolutely clear that our whole purpose as a party is to win power to govern to change the lives of millions of people, then we will be talking politics and not doing politics. So, no apology about that at all.’

In the keynote speech in Birmingham to capitalise on favourable poll ratings, he set out his vision for Labour based on the values of ‘security, prosperity and respect’.

But he added: ‘I am well aware that just because the Tories lose the public’s trust it doesn’t mean Labour simply inherits it. Trust has to be earned.

‘I am confident but not complacent about the task ahead.’

Sir Keir backed Tony Blair’s knighthood and said the honour from the Queen was not a ‘thorny’ issue because he had been a ‘very successful prime minister’.

Asked whether Mr Johnson should be honoured in future, he responded: ‘No, I am sorry, I don’t think that this Prime Minister has earned the right to have an honour. I do think Tony Blair has.’

Sir Keir’s speech was light on policy, however, with no new announcements.

He said he would hold a series of events across the country ‘in the coming months’ to persuade people of his vision of a ‘new Britain’.

Setting out what he described as his contract with the British people, the Labour leader said the first clause would be a ‘binding commitment’ to decency.

He added: ‘I have a very clear idea of what a Labour government would look like. And, in 2022, I want to take my plans to the British people.

‘I want to create a contract defined by security, prosperity and respect. To create a contract for a government worthy of the fine nation in which we live. The Labour Party is a deeply patriotic party.

‘Think of all that the British have to be proud of: the rule of law, Her Majesty the Queen, universal public services, a creative heritage that is the envy of the world.

‘And a thriving civil society on which we have relied so heavily during the pandemic.’