Starmer rejects claim Labour ‘light on policies’

Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at critics accusing Labour of lacking detailed policies, as the party prepares for a gruelling general election campaign later this year.

The Labour leader promised to meet the Conservatives’ “fire with fire” as he kicked off the new year with a major speech promising to boost growth and raise standards in British politics.

But Sir Keir and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves continue to face questions about how Labour will reverse years of sluggish growth, along with criticism that the party’s preelection platform remains light on major policies.

Speaking to LBC radio, Sir Keir said: “You can’t really say, ‘We don’t know what you stand for, we haven’t set anything out’ unless you’ve just really not paid very much attention to what’s been said over the last year or so.”

He pointed to “five big mission launches, big speeches, backing documents” to argue that his party’s offering to voters was clear.

Alongside plans to improve living standards, Sir Keir stressed plans to halve violence against women and girls.

Asked how he plans to deliver growth, he said he would “work with the private sector to invest in the future”.

And he said investors want stability after several years of uncertainty and “chopping and the changing” in British politics.

At the centre of Labour’s campaign is a £28 billiona-year green energy investment, but Sir Keir has stressed it will be subject to the party’s fiscal rules. Yesterday he called it a “confident ambition”.

It comes as Labour prepares to launch a fresh attack on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over the two percentage point cut to National insurance due to come into force today, calling it a “raw deal” because of hidden tax rises elsewhere.