Keir Starmer speech live: PM insists milestones not confusing as relaunch raises questions over migration targets

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has set out the six milestones in his “plan for change”.

1. Delivery of higher, real, household disposable income and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita by the end of the Parliament. This is part of the goal of having the highest sustained economic growth in the G7.
2. At 1.5 million homes to be built in England and planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects to be fast-tracked.
3. To meet the NHS standard of 92 per cent of patients in England waiting no longer than 18 weeks for elective treatment.
4. An additional 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables in neighbourhood roles in England and Wales with a named officer for every community.
5. A record of 75 per cent of five-year-olds ready to learn by the time they school.
6. Putting the UK “on track” to at least 95 per cent clean power by 2030.

The prime minister suggested that successful delivery of the Government’s plans could counter the rise of populist politics.

In his speech given earlier, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Everyone can see there’s a growing impatience with traditional politics. Everyone can see how people are tired with those who fail to get the job done.

“Now, populism isn’t the answer to Britain’s challenges. Easy answers won’t make our country strong.

“But nobody can deny that this kind of politics feeds off real concerns.”

He added: “What people want from their politics, that hasn’t changed.

“They want a stable economy, they want their country to be safe, their borders secure, more cash in their pockets, safer streets in their town, opportunities for their children, secure British energy in their home and an NHS that is fit for the future.

“That is why we’ve set these missions. Missions to make our country strong, missions to make working people better off, missions this Government will deliver.”

The Green Party’s co-leader has said “these milestones aren’t a clear route to real change” as he gave his verdict on Sir Keir Starmer’s speech.

Adrian Ramsay said: “These milestones aren’t a clear route to real change. Today’s listicle, while pointing in the right direction on a handful of issues, is missing the wholesale ambition and drive that a Government elected on a change agenda needs.

“We have a country reeling from severe flooding and facing more storms this weekend, a country where people are struggling to heat their homes this winter, and a country worried about finding the school places and doctor appointments that those they love need.

“Instead of listing out a few priorities, suggesting that these will be delivered at the expense of other important issues, we wanted today to see a gear change in this government where they accept that we need to ask the very richest to pay more tax so we could properly fund all our frontline public services.”

The prime minister insisted both legal and illegal migration would fall as he faced repeated questions from journalists about why the issue did not feature in the milestones he had set out.

Sir Keir Starmer told reporters: “We are going to drive down migration, both legal and illegal. That will only be done with a serious plan.

“We had a gimmick for a number of years called Rwanda. What happened? The numbers went up. We wasted a lot of money – £700 million – removing four volunteers to Rwanda. It didn’t work.

“The only way to make it work is to smash the gangs that are running the vile trade and that’s why we’ve invested so much in setting up the command that is needed to do that.”

He added the British public wanted “a serious plan to ensure we’ve got control of our borders, not arbitrary caps, not gimmicks”.

Sir Keir had earlier described the most recent migration figures as “shocking” and claimed the issue it did not feature in his milestones as reducing migration was one of the “foundational things that a government must do”.

Reform UK criticised the Prime Minister for not including migration in his milestones for Government.

A Reform UK Spokesman said: “Keir Starmer’s milestones for Government doesn’t include immigration or any measurable targets to hold him to on immigration.

“After freezing pensioners, hiking taxes and risking the future of British farming, the damage has already been done.

“We were promised growth and change, instead we have had sleaze, dishonesty and more of the same that the Tories gave us. Britain needs Reform.”

Ed Miliband was deployed to explain to journalists why Labour is not watering down its 100 per cent clean energy mission despite setting it at 95 per cent.

He says: “It was always the case that we would have a small strategic reserve of gas. We have set that at 5 per cent.”

Calls for the two-child benefit cap to be scrapped have been issued after Sir Keir Starmer refuses to do so in speech.

Responding to the prime minister’s speech today, Chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group Alison Garnham said: “The Prime Minister recognises that families can’t make ends meet but if change is to come it will require reinvestment in social security support. That’s the way to improve living standards for children and to give every child a fair chance of success. Abolition of the two- child limit is the first action struggling families need from the government’s child poverty taskforce.”

Sir Keir Starmer has been asked repeatedly to explain what his missions are compared to his milestones.

Members of the press watching his speech in Buckinghamshire have put their confusion to the prime minister, who has been forced to detail the differences are.

In a document published alongside his speech, Sir Keir listed a series of “milestones” he pledged to achieve over the course of this Parliament on the way to fulfilling the “missions” he set for himself before the election.

He insisted his milestones were not a reset of his priorities or confusing for the public to understand.

The PM told reporters: “I announced the missions two years ago as our five national missions to give a sense of purpose-driven Government, and like all of the strategies I have set down since I became Labour leader… we have had a strategy, we have had a plan and we have stuck to it.

“So those missions went down two years ago, we have stuck to them, I have just reiterated them now.”

He added: “We set out the milestones so that people can measure are we making proper progress on our missions, back to what we said two years ago and what will it feel like for me? Will I have more money in my pocket? Will I be able to get an appointment at the NHS if I need it?”

Sir Keir went on: “These are, if you like, something for the public to use to hold us to account on what we say we can achieve on the missions in the first five years.

“And I will be absolutely straight about it, it is also designed to push and drive the reform that we are going to need if we are going to ensure that we bring about the change that is so desperately needed.”