Keir Starmer paves way for tax rises as he woos union paymasters with Tory-bashing speech_l
The Prime Minister speaks to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) as members make a list of demands for the Labour Government.
Sir Keir Starmer begins speech at TUC Congress
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he will make “no apologies” for decisions made by the Labour Government amid pressure to reverse the winter fuel payment.
Turning to the general election and “tough decisions” he has had to take, Sir Keir said: “We ran as a changed Labour Party and we will govern as a changed Labour Party.
“And so I make no apologies for any of the decisions we have had to take to begin the work of change and no apologies to those still stuck in the 1980s who believe that unions and business can only stand at odds, leaving working people stuck in the middle.”
Sir Keir Starmer spoke at the TUC’s conference in Brighton today (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir accused the Tories of leaving behind a terrible inheritance for Labour across a wide range of policy areas.
The Prime Minister said that “even in our worst fears we didn’t think it would be this bad”.
Sir Keir said that he appreciated that no one wanted to hear such a “gloomy forecast” and he did not want to be in the position of having to deliver it but he believed he owed working people economic stability.
The premier said he wanted to “fix the foundations so we can build a new home”.
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will read through the lines of Starmer’s speech, which continues to push the increasingly absurd claim that this government is on the side of workers.
“The promise to repeal the Trade Union Act and scrap minimum service levels will hand unions more and more powers to disrupt the lives of the British people and it will mark a major step back in terms of transparency given this act required the publication of facility time in the public sector.
“The government should stop pretending that the interests of the unions align with the interests of taxpayers.”
Sir Keir delivered his speech at the Trades Union Congress annual conference in Brighton.
The Prime Minister said his address was the first by a premier to the TUC conference in 15 years.
The last address by a prime minister was by Gordon Brown in 2009.
Sir Keir said the failure of Tory prime ministers over the last 15 years to address TUC conferences demonstrated a lack of respect for workers.
“That era is now over,” the Labour leader said.
Sir Keir said that working people are the “backbone of this country”.
