Starmer claims he’s ‘driving down payments’ in determined New Year relaunch – regardless of figures displaying struggling Brits turning to bank card borrowing

Keir Starmer claimed to be ‘driving down bills’ today despite figures showing struggling Brits turning to credit card borrowing.

Kicking off the New Year with another relaunch effort, the PM insisted he is acting to ease the cost of living pressures.

Sir Keir said during a visit to a community centre in Berkshire that the country will ‘turn a corner’ this year and people will ‘begin to feel the difference in their pockets’.  

But a Bank of England report released this morning showed that the annual growth rate for consumer credit edged up to 8.1 per cent in November, from 7.5 per cent the previous month.

That included a 12.1 per cent increase in credit card borrowing – the highest figure since January 2024 when it was 12.5 per cent.

Sir Keir’s efforts to kick off 2026 on the front foot after a disastrous 2025 have already run into trouble.

He has been accused of Brexit ‘betrayal’ and flouting his own manifesto after suggesting the UK will deepen ties to the EU single market.    

Sir Keir is also facing huge pressure from Labour MP to stop sitting on the fence over the dramatic US intervention in Venezuela.

The PM is refusing to say whether the raid and seizure of Nicolas Maduro by American forces broke international law. 

Kicking off the New Year with another relaunch effort, the PM insisted he is acting to ease the cost of livingpressures 

A Bank of England report released this morning showed that the annual growth rate for consumer credit edged up to 8.1 per cent in November, from 7.5 per cent the previous month

Sir Keir said yesterday that ‘chopping and changing’ leaders would be a gift to Nigel Farage

Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Keir insisted he will still be in No 10 by 2027.

He argued that local elections across Scotland, England and Wales would not be a ‘referendum’ on his Westminster administration.

‘We will fight for every vote, and we take absolutely nothing for granted,’ he said.

He insisted frequent leadership changes are not ‘in the national interest’ and that ‘constant chopping and changing’ under the previous Tory government had been ‘utter chaos’.

‘What I don’t think will help us is if a Labour government turns back to the chaos of the last Tory government,’ he said. 

‘That would gift Nigel Farage. We need to be clear we need to turn the corner, we need to stop the drift in this country, we need to shoot down this idea that slogans, easy answers, quick fixes, shortcuts are what fix the country. They didn’t fix it.’

The Prime Minister appeared to acknowledge criticism of his premiership but said he would ‘rise above’ the commentary and focus on making a ‘material difference’ to people’s lives.

Asked whether he appreciated the political trouble he had been in after a series of policy U-turns and shifts in strategy, he said: ‘Almost every week somebody writes that this is the worst week in politics.

‘You can’t have 52 worst weeks in politics.’

On a number of visits this week, Sir Keir will highlight policies like a freeze on rail fares and plans to cut energy bills, which he says will help lower the financial burden on households.

Before meeting residents this morning, Sir Keir said: ‘It’s good news for Berkshire’s high streets and local businesses too – affordable public transport brings in customers and helps families enjoy time together.

‘Growing up, our family couldn’t always make ends meet. I know every pound matters, and this year I am going further to tackle the cost of living and bring down costs for families.’

As MPs return to Westminster this week after the Christmas recess, Sir Keir will tell the first Cabinet meeting of the year on Tuesday: ‘I know families across the country are still worried about the cost of living.

‘There will be no let-up in our fight to make life better for them.’

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said Sir Keir ‘expects gratitude’ when ‘it’s his decisions that have made the cost of living worse’.

Sir Keir missed a penalty during a football outing yesterday