SIR FLIP FLOP
Squirming Starmer defends junking his major pledges and blames ‘reality’ for U-turns on tuition fees and child benefits
Last night his shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson refused to rule out raising university tuition fees
SIR Keir Starmer has defended junking a series of previous pledges as the Tories ramped up their election attacks on his trustworthiness.
In a media round this morning, the Labour leader blamed “reality” for the host of u-turns committed in the past few years.
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Several of the promises he made when running for party leader are now dead including scrapping both tuition fees and the two-child benefit cap.
Top Conservatives compared him to a "human jellyfish" as the gloves came off on day 2 of the campaign.
In key developments:
- Rishi Sunak said he was "disappointed" his smoking ban would not be made law before the election
- Proposed caps on ground rents were also ruled out as the final Bills were pushed through before the Commons shuts
- Sir Keir said Labour's tax whack on private schools would start "straight away"
- The Labour leader was dragged into a growing row over ducking TV election debates
- He also opened the door to a possible coalition deal with the Lib Dems
- He refused to say that veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott would be admitted back into the party in time for the election
- Jeremy Corbyn confirmed he would stand against Labour as an independent in his Islington seat
- "Bionic MP" Craig Mackinlay became the latest Tory to say they were standing down
- Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said Labour won't keep the lights on
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Pressed on whether he could resurrect his 2020 vow to axe the two-child benefit cap, Sir Keir said: “In an ideal world, of course. But we haven't got the resources to do it at the moment.
"What I will do, because child poverty is something I am absolutely set against, the last Labour government had an anti-child poverty strategy and we managed to do a huge amount of good stuff on child poverty.”
Last night his shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson refused to rule out raising university tuition fees.
Such a move would likely be met with fury from students after Sir Keir previously vowed to abolish the sky-high sums.
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This morning Sir Keir said: “Looking at costing for tuition fees or abolishing them and looking at the money we need to put in the NHS, I’ve taken the decision we can’t do both.
“I decided we’ve got to prioritise getting those waiting lists down. I’d rather make the choice now this side of election then say something now which I know in my heart of hearts is not deliverable the other side of the election.”
Sir Keir has been dogged by Tory attacks that he is a flip-flopper after shifting multiple positions since becoming leader four years ago.
Deputy chairman Jonathan Gullis today told the Sun: "Sir Keir nothing but a human jellyfish: completely spineless and will drift along wherever the tide takes him. You cannot trust him to stand by a word he says.
“Labour have no plan, and always take the easy way out. While the Conservatives have a clear plan, and will take bold actions to deliver a secure future for you and your family."
Conservative MPs regularly wield his list of 10 leadership pledges that has now been bent out of all recognition, including promises to hike income tax and give EU citizens the vote.
More recent tacks include his decision earlier this year to drop the planned £28billion of green spending.
Jeremy Corbyn confirms he’s running against Labour as an independent in General Election sparking headache for Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer’s biggest U-turns
By MARTINA BET, Political Correspondent
SIR Keir Starmer has become known as a major flip-flopper since he became leader of the Labour Party.
Here The Sun takes a look at some of his most blatant U-turns.
BREXIT
Sir Keir spent the entire 2017 parliament trying to reverse Brexit.
When he ran as Labour leader in 2020, Sir Keir did not repeat his call for a second referendum on Brexit, but he did endorse freedom of movement. After becoming leader, he said he would not cross the red line of accepting freedom of movement for EU citizens under any future negotiation of post-Brexit trading arrangements with Brussels. He has however pledged a closer trading relationship with Brussels.
NATIONALISATION
When he ran for the Labour leadership, Sir Keir vowed to bring public services, including rail, mail, energy and water, into “common ownership".
But the pledge didn't last long. As early as September 2021, he ruled out nationalising the six big energy companies and in July 2022, shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves ditched the commitment to nationalise more public services in one fell swoop.
The party still intends to bring train operators into public ownership but only when current franchises expire.
OUTSOURCING
One of Sir Keir's other leadership pledges included putting an end the involvement of the private sector in the NHS. Again, it didn't last long as it was dropped in the summer of 2022, with Sir Keir saying the party would have to continue with some level or private provision in the health service.
TUITION FEES
Sir Keir promised he would end the "national scandal" of student debt by abolishing tuition fees in 2020.
Changing his stance, he said the country found itself in a “different financial situation”.
GREEN PROSPERITY PLAN
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves vowed to invest £28 billion a year on green projects when she addressed the first in-person conference under Sir Keir back in 2021.
But in one of the most screeching U-turns, Labour announced in February it would spend just over £4.7bn a year.
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