Keir Starmer MP: speeches

Speeches

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  She really needs to look into how these licences are granted. I appreciate that the Conservatives’ reset seems to be having no policies apart from cutting pensions, and having no briefings on relevant issues. Let us just remind ourselves that they presided over the biggest drop in living standards on record. Mortgages went through the roof, and they left a £22 billion black hole. We learned last weekend that, under the last Government, £35 billion was lost on benefit fraud and error. Who was in the Treasury at the time? The shadow Business Secretary, the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Andrew Griffith), and the Leader of the Opposition. They want to give lectures. No thanks!

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  In December 2020, I was in my office, working on the expected Brexit deal with my team. We had to analyse the deal as it came in at speed and prepare and deliver a live statement at speed on one of the most important issues for our country in recent years. That was what I was doing. What were the Conservatives doing? Bringing suitcases of booze into Downing Street, partying and fighting, vomiting up the walls, leaving the cleaners to remove red wine stains. That is the difference. I was working—they were partying.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I know the whole House will be appalled by the death of a young boy in Sheffield on Monday. Our hearts go out to his family and his loved ones. Knife crime blights our communities and we redouble every step to ensure that young people are kept safe. On Monday, I met other European leaders in Brussels to discuss the vitally important focus on security and defence in a volatile world. I am determined to reduce barriers to trade, making it easier for businesses to do business and ensuring that a better relationship with our European partners delivers for the British people. This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall have further such meetings later today.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  On Emily Damari, I have spoken with Mandy on many occasions, including when she did not know whether or not her daughter was alive. Just listening to her was to really understand the torture that she went through. I spoke just the other day to Emily herself about the conditions in which she was held, and I will of course continue to do so. To be absolutely clear—and the hon. Gentleman knows this—we are not funding Hamas and never will. We condemn Hamas, and everybody in this House should condemn Hamas.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Again, we have obviously set up the independent review into exactly what happened in those cases, which was the right thing to do. We will look at individual circumstances, so if the hon. Member is willing to pass the details to me, we will look at them.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is absolutely right to point out the failure of the Government in Scotland. They do not want to talk about that failure. They have got the powers, and they have got the resources; they just have not got any excuses left.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising what is a really important issue for his constituents and for so many constituents. I am pleased to confirm that we have put down £69 billion for councils—that is a 6.8% cash-terms increase—including up to £3.7 billion in vital additional funding for social care. We have doubled the funding for the disabled facilities grant, with an additional £86 million to allow 7,800 more disabled and elderly people to make improvements that enable more independent lives, and we will continue to do so, working across the House.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  The NHS is the lifeblood of our country, and that is why we invested £25 billion at the Budget—a record amount—and are making it fit for the future through our plan for change. What a contrast with Reform, whose leader has said that those who can afford to pay should pay for healthcare. Under Labour, the NHS will always be free at the point at use for anyone who needs it.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising this issue in that way, and I pass on to Agnes and Jim how impactful what he has said is, and how important it is that he continues to raise this issue. Far too many children and young people are waiting far too long to receive the mental health support that they need, and we are determined to ensure that more children and young people can access high-quality mental health support in a timely manner.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member talks about panic. The only panic is for people who know that his policy would be to charge them for using the NHS. What he should say to the people of Clacton—when he finally finds Clacton—is that they should vote Labour because we are stabilising the economy and boosting their jobs.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising this really important issue. It is obviously a question of jobs, but it is also a question of identity and a sense of place. Of course we will work with the energy companies and have the relevant meetings, as he suggests.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  The Leader of the Opposition does not even want to know what is going on; otherwise she would have asked for the relevant briefings. She knows the position on Rosebank. She knows that the court case has meant that the licence has to be reviewed. There is a process that has to be gone through in the proper way. She understands that, but yet again she is proving that all she can do is student politics, and playing party politics.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend raises a very important issue in relation to maternity pay and maternity leave. The Leader of the Opposition thinks that maternity pay is excessive. That is the difference—we know that workers’ rights are pro-growth, and I am proud that our Employment Rights Bill will introduce parental leave from day one, which means that 1.5 million more employees will be entitled to unpaid parental leave and 30,000 more fathers will be entitled to paternity leave. I am happy to ensure that my hon. Friend gets the meeting with the relevant Minister.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will ensure that all schools can innovate, that new teachers are qualified and that every child receives a consistent core education to set them up for success in life.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Since 1998, the Good Friday agreement has delivered a far more peaceful society in Northern Ireland, and that is really important. Restoration of power sharing was a significant milestone, and it allows the institutions to make progress on the most important issues to the people of Northern Ireland. We will continue to work with all parties to that end.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for raising this important issue. Women and babies deserve the highest standards of care through pregnancy, birth and the months that follow. We are committed to recruiting thousands of new midwives for the NHS while providing support to trusts that are failing on maternity care. We are working with the NHS as it delivers a three-year maternity plan, which is making good progress in improving services, including for his constituents.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  This is obviously a really important matter. I understand that the Minister for patient safety met patient groups before Christmas to hear their stories, their accounts and their experiences at first hand. We will provide an update on the Patient Safety Commissioner’s report at the earliest opportunity to the House.

• 5 Feb 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Our “Get Britain Working” White Paper sets out the biggest reforms to employment support in a generation, backed by £240 million of investment. Through our plan for change, we will boost living standards and have more secure, rewarding jobs to make work pay.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Let me be absolutely clear: there will be no means-testing of the state pension under this Labour Government. We are committed both to the triple lock and to the principle that people should receive pensions based on their contribution, regardless of their wealth. My hon. Friend is right: 12 million pensioners will receive a £470 increase in April. When people such as the Leader of the Opposition say that they want means-testing, that means a cut. The difference between us is that they would cut pensions and we are increasing them.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  We believe in giving people proper dignity and protection at work. That is why we are proud of our record on supporting workers. The Conservatives consistently vote against any protection for working people, and the Leader of the Opposition’s consistent refrain is that there should be less, but we are driving growth on behalf of working people. Good work rights are consistent with growth—every good business knows that. On top of planning reform, the building of houses and supporting aviation, the Chancellor this morning spoke of the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor, redeveloping Old Trafford, and manufacturing at East Midlands airport. We want to grow the economy; the only policy the Leader of the Opposition has got is to shrink pensions.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  No. I think they are good for workers and good for growth. This is the same argument that the Conservatives made against the minimum wage and every protection for workers. The Leader of the Opposition says that they are their ideas. She says she supports a third runway at Heathrow. Her shadow Transport Secretary says that it would be “calamitous”. The shadow Business Secretary is busy writing letters opposing airport expansion in his own back yard. The shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury says the Oxford-Cambridge idea is “flawed” and he is against it. We are the coalition of builders; they are the coalition of blockers.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  Our No. 1 mission is growth, which is why have we set out all the initiatives over the past seven months, particularly the ones this morning. The right hon. Gentleman knows that in relation to the reset with the EU, which we are determined to achieve, we have clear red lines when it comes to the single market and the customs union. He knows where we stand on that.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend has given decades of service to his community. I am a firm believer in moving power out of Westminster and into the hands of those with skin in the game. That is how we boost growth, create opportunities and drive reform. I am pleased that we are establishing a combined county authority in Lancashire. Our ambition is for mayors across all areas of England who can take advantage of the powers set out in the devolution White Paper, including in Lancashire.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  My hon. Friend is right to raise that very serious issue. We are committed to working with every council to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation. We are immediately taking action to reform the right to buy and to enable councils to borrow more cheaply, and investing in the affordable homes programme.

• 29 Jan 2025 · Engagements · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the issue. His constituents will be angry and frustrated at the empty, unfunded promises left by the Conservatives. Let us be clear, under their non-plan, North Devon district hospital would simply not have been delivered—it was not just delayed; it was never going to be delivered. Conservative Members know that, the hon. Gentleman knows that and his constituents know that. We have put in place a funded, deliverable plan that will see the hospital built, and we will work closely with the trust to accelerate work. The Conservative party owes his constituents an apology.