Mirror readers vote for largest problem they need Keir Starmer to sort out first
Keir Starmer pledged to “reverse a decade of decline” in his first key speech yesterday – and Mirror readers have had their say on the biggest issues facing the UK.
Speaking from No10 on Tuesday, the Labour leader confessed that “things are worse than we ever imagined ” as he referenced the “£22bn black hole” in the nation’s finances. Mr Starmer claimed to have found out last week that the Tories had borrowed £5billion more than the Office for Budget Responsibility expected.
In a gloomy message, the PM warned the country the Budget on October 30 will be “painful” and hinted the wealthiest could be asked to pay more in taxes. He added: “We have no other choice, given the situation that we’re in. Those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden, and that’s why we’re cracking down on non-doms.”
However, he did make clear his election manifesto promise not to hike taxes on “working people” – including income tax, VAT and national insurance – would stand. The PM also vowed to “get a grip” of the problems facing the UK and “root out 14 years of rot” under the Conservatives.
He said: “When there is rot deep in the heart of a structure, you can’t just cover it up. You can’t tinker with it or rely on quick fixes. You have to overhaul the entire thing. Tackle it at the root. Even if it’s harder work and takes more time.”
With less than a week before MPs return from the summer recess, we asked Mirror readers to share the biggest issue that they want the Government to tackle – and 63 percent said immigration. This comes as the latest Home Office figures reveal there was an asylum backlog of nearly 119,000 at the end of June.
Many of these people are in limbo living in hotels, and Tory legislation meant they could not apply for asylum. Labour has set to work processing applications, but the Tories and Reform UK have been on the attack, accusing Labour of an “amnesty”.
The small boats crisis has continued to exacerbate, with a staggering 5,720 people having made the dangerous journey across the Channel since Labour came to power in July. The Government has scrapped the costly Rwanda deal and launched a Border Security Command instead.
On Wednesday, the PM and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed an action plan for intercepting small boats before they even reach the English Channel. Many small boats used in illegal crossings are manufactured in Germany, or are transported across the country on their way to Northern France.
Mr Starmer said: “Intercepting those boats as they’re in transit across Europe – and those that are moving them – is an important part of that as far as I’m concerned.” Meanwhile, 13 percent voiced that rescuing the NHS is of paramount importance. According to the British Medical Association (BMA), the NHS waiting list stood at 7.62 million cases in June, consisting of approximately 6.39 million individual patients waiting for treatment.
The latest Referral to Treatment (RTT) figures for the same month reveal that around 3.13 million of these patients have been waiting over 18 weeks, while almost 302,700 have been waiting over a year for treatment. Mr Starmer has also vowed to create a new National Care Service to tackle pressure on the NHS by ensuring swifter discharges.
It comes as alarming figures show that people are languishing in hospital for weeks because of delays providing the care they need. Another 13 percent named the cost-of-living crisis as the biggest issue facing the UK.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports a 32.6 percent increase in the cost of groceries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while gas prices have risen by 68 percent and electricity costs by 45 percent. To see the full results, check out the poll HERE.
What’s the biggest issue you want Keir Starmer to address? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Please note that the poll is still live, so these results may change after the article has been published.
