Keir Starmer tries to banish Corbyn era in keynote speech

Keir Starmer made another attempt to banish the Corbyn era and woo back Brexit voters today promising that Labour will no longer get out the ‘big government cheque book’ to solve problems.

In a keynote speech to kick off a critical political year, Sir Keir heaped praise on the private sector for ‘creating wealth’. ‘Everything that we say and do will be fully costed,’ he said.

In a nod to fears that he has not ‘sealed the deal’ with voters despite huge poll leads, Sir Keir insisted he will not ‘rest on our laurels’.

The Labour leader, who was a staunch Remainer, also boldly sought to hijack the Leave campaign’s slogan from the EU referendum – pledging a ‘Take Back Control Act’ to devolve power away from Westminster. 

One survey this week showed Rishi Sunak has leapfrogged Sir Keir as the preferred option for PM.

In his address in east London this morning – delivered just metres from where the PM gave his own New Year speech yesterday – Sir Keir set out his vision for ‘a decade of national renewal’.

But rising enraging the hard-Left, he said: ‘I can see the damage the Tories have done to our public services as plainly as anyone. But we won’t be able to spend our way out of their mess – it’s not as easy as that.  

‘There is no substitute for a robust private sector, creating wealth in every community.’

Keir Starmer (pictured) vowed to ditch Labour’s traditional ‘tax and spend’ approach in a keynote speech

In his address in east London this morning – delivered just metres from where the PM gave his own New Year speech yesterday – Sir Keir set out his vision for ‘a decade of national renewal’

Despite Labour holding huge poll leads, there are signs that support is ‘soft’ and the public is still unconvinced by the leader

One survey this week showed Rishi Sunak has leapfrogged Sir Keir as the preferred option for PM

Sir Keir’s performance will be closely compared to that of Mr Sunak, who gave his own New Year speech yesterday.

The PM laid out five pledges to judge him by over the remainder of the parliament, including halving inflation, growing the economy and cutting NHS waiting lists.

He also opened up dividing lines with Labour by committing to tough anti-strike laws and stopping the flow of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats. 

Sir Keir said he can deliver the ‘economy and the politics Britain deserves’ and end the era of ‘sticking plaster politics’.

In No10 he would introduce ‘a new way of governing’ that will help build a fairer, greener, more dynamic Britain.

He said: ‘I believe in our country, I believe in our businesses, I believe in our people, I believe in our spirit, in the ambition they have for themselves.’

However, Tory chairman Nadhim Zahawi dismissed Sir Keir’s latest message.

‘This is yet another desperate relaunch attempt by Keir Starmer – his tenth since he became Labour leader.

‘Every week he changes his position depending on what he thinks is popular – from supporting free movement to supporting the unions, he’ll say anything if the politics suits him.

‘He should stop giving cliché-laden speeches, and instead finally unveil a plan for people’s priorities.

‘He’s got nothing to say on how to cut crime, get immigration down, and reduce borrowing – that’s what the nation wants to see.’ 

It comes amid a split among Sir Keir’s frontbenchers after one refused to endorse a ‘reform or die’ call to the NHS made by shadow health secretary Wes Streeting. 

He said he could not understand why the British Medical Association union was ‘hostile’ to the idea that with more staff must come better standards. 

And he said that ‘we cannot continue pouring money into a 20th-century model of care that delivers late diagnoses and more expensive treatment’.

But Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour’s mental health spokesman, refused to back the approach three times in an interview yesterday. 

Asked if she agreed with Mr Streeting, she would only say that she stood by the commitment to increase staff numbers.

Tory minister Nadhim Zahawi (pictured) branded Kier Starmer’s speech a ‘desperate relaunch attempt’