Starmer touts measurable targets ahead of new Labour plan

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said a new phase for his government will begin this week, under what he calls a “plan for change” for Britain.

Writing for the Sun on Sunday, Starmer described the strategy as “the most ambitious yet honest delivery plan in a generation” as the government was “knuckling down” on delivering its election promises.

He said ministers would detail “measurable milestones” by which the public could track the progress of the government towards its commitments.

The Conservatives, however, say the new plan will not conceal what they describe as ‘the chaos’ which the government has unleashed in the five months since the general election.

Conservative co-chairman Nigel Huddleston dismissed the idea as “Keir Starmer’s 17th relaunch” and said that “the British people will rightly be wondering why they have been short-changed by the party that claimed to offer change”.

In his Sun article, the prime minister reminded readers of the state of public services when the Tories left government in the summer.

Upon taking office in July, new chancellor Rachel Reeves had announced there was a £22bn annual overshoot in public spending that had not previously been known abouy.

“We were left a dire inheritance, with crumbling public services and crippled public finances to face up to,” Sir Keir said in his editorial.

“These are major problems that can’t be fixed overnight. I make no bones about that, and there’s no point pretending otherwise. Meaningful change is not easy to deliver.”

He acknowledged that there may be “obstacles and blockers – maybe even protests” to his proposed reforms.

The mention of protests may be a nod towards recent political challenges.

Thousands of farmers descended upon Whitehall earlier this month over changes to inheritance tax for farmers announced in the Budget.

Thousands more regularly march for a change to Britain’s support for Israel in the war in Gaza, though these marches first began under the previous government.

And in a blow to Sir Keir’s cabinet, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh on Friday resigned over a fraud charge from a decade ago.

The newspaper article signals a return to focusing on Labour manifesto pledges, after the Westminster focus of the past few days was firmly on one of the rare political issues where the skirmishing between parties was put to one side and MPs had a free vote on the assisted dying bill.

On Friday, after much fierce and passionate debate, MPs, including Sir Keir, voted in favour of the bill which would allow terminally ill adults expected to die within six months to seek help to end their own life.

In Sir Keir’s plans for the next phase of his government will be five detailed “missions”.

When it is fully unveiled on Thursday, it will be designed to highlight which measures will be prioritised both politically and financially – and Sir Keir is also determined that ministers will be made accountable by the creation of “milestones” they must meet.

“[The milestones] will also ensure the attention and resources of government are focused ­relentlessly on delivering real and meaningful change,” Starmer wrote.

For example, there exists a wide-ranging government mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

But under the new plan, a specific target will be created to help improve early years education.

Ministers will aim to increase the proportion of four-year-olds and five year-year-olds who are fully ready to start school – socially as well as educationally – from 60% to 75%.

Other policies, from housebuilding to hospital waiting lists, will become priorities, too, under the plans to be announced by the prime minister on Thursday.

But by implication, it seems some previous pledges may be destined for the political slow lane.