Keir Starmer: ‘I’ll ship what you voted for 100 days in the past – choose me on that’

Keir Starmer today urges Mirror readers to judge him on how he changes the country for the better – as he reflects on his first 100 days in Downing Street.

Despite acknowledging he’d faced some “choppy days” in the opening months of his Premiership – with questions over donations, freebies and the departure of Sue Gray as his chief of staff dominating headlines – the Prime Minister insisted he doesn’t “look backwards.”

And writing exclusively for this newspaper, the Prime Minister outlined how behind the headlines the Labour government has already started to fix Britain’s foundations after 14 years of “damage” under the Tories.

He wrote: “Mirror readers should know I’m not interested in slapping a bit of paint here or doing a bodge job there.

“I won’t pretend we’ve finished the job and fixed the problem, only to leave another mess that needs to be fixed later down the line. That’s the honestly working people deserve.”

Mr Starmer yesterday acknowledged he has faced some “choppy days” in his first three months in No10 in an interview with the BBC.

But he’s determined not to get blown off course by headline-grabbing rows – drawing a line under the first hundred days and pointing to Labour’s early achievements in power.

“I don’t look backwards, I never have,” the PM added. “Mirror readers will judge me on my actions. We’re only just getting started.”

Mr Starmer listed a crackdown on knife crime, a long-term plan for the NHS and teacher and police recruitment among the measures already underway to fix broken Britain.

And with Britain set to host a major investment summit on Monday, Mr Starmer hailed the opportunity for international business giants to pump cash into towns and cities around the country.

Declaring “Britain is open for business”, he promised thousands of jobs would be created through more than £24 billion of investment into the green energy industry.

“Mirror readers should know I’m not interested in slapping a bit of paint here or doing a bodge job there,” he wrote.

“I won’t pretend we’ve finished the job and fixed the problem, only to leave another mess that needs to be fixed later down the line. That’s the honestly working people deserve.”

‘I don’t look backwards, I never have. Mirror readers will judge me on my actions’

By KEIR STARMER, The Prime Minister

IT’S been 100 days since the nation voted for change. 100 days since Mirror readers put their trust in Labour. 100 days since we showed the Tories the door after 14 long years. And 100 days since I stood on the steps of Downing Street and promised my government would always work for the people of this country.

That work of change began immediately.

In three months, we’ve done more than the Tories managed in the last 14 years.

On day one, we scrapped the Tories ridiculous Rwanda plan. We’ve launched a new Border Security Command to smash the criminal gangs.

We’ve reformed planning to get Britain building again. We’ve ended the junior doctors strikes so people can get the treatment they need. We’ve begun new solar projects and new offshore wind projects, lifted the onshore ban, and launched Great British Energy to boost our energy security and create good jobs.

We’ve ended one word Ofsted judgements. We’ve introduced the Renters Reform Bill to stop no fault evictions. The Railway Services Bill will bring our railways back into public ownership so passengers will be the priority once more.

And we’re only just getting started.

We’re cracking down on knife crime. We’re putting a modern industrial strategy in place. A 10 year plan for the NHS. Working with regional and national leaders to put power back in the hands of local communities. We’re recruiting more teachers and more neighbourhood police.

And, while the Tories are arguing about scrapping maternity pay and minimum wage, this Labour government is rolling out the biggest levelling up of workers’ rights in a generation.

This week, we’ll be hosting a landmark investment summit in London, making the case for international companies to invest in the towns and communities of Britain – from Teesside to Suffolk to Aberdeen. We’ll be making it clear that Britain isn’t just open for business, it’s the best place in the world to invest. We want to bring that energy, dynamism, and excitement back to our country, relighting the fire of our industrial heartlands and boosting living standards for working people.

We’re already seeing businesses choose Britain. On Friday, we announced thousands of jobs in green industries through more than £24 billion of private investment for pioneering energy projects. That shows a huge vote of confidence in this government and our relentless focus to drive growth across the UK.

That’s the difference Labour in power can make.

There’s no denying that the inheritance the last government left us was appalling. A dereliction of duty that should never be forgotten or forgiven. They left our country poorer, sicker, less safe and less sure of itself. A cost of living crisis and the NHS on its knees. Prisons overflowing and our infrastructure crumbling.

Their legacy means we have had to make hard decisions and do difficult things. 14 years is a long time to cause damage. 100 days isn’t much time to fix it.

But we will not let them stop us in our missions. This government will deliver higher growth, safer streets, the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future, cheaper bills for your family and better opportunities for your children.

This isn’t just a change in what we do, but in how we do government.

People were tired of the Tories’ dishonesty and their selfishness.

I’m determined to do things differently. If we have to make a difficult decision, we’ll be honest about it. I won’t offer the false hope that has led us down dead ends in that past. Throughout the campaign I said our motto was ‘Country first, party second’ – and I meant it.

Some change is quick. Where we can do things immediately, we have. But patiently rebuilding a nation after the Tories took their wrecking ball to Britain will take a bit longer.

Mirror readers should know I’m not interested in slapping a bit of paint here or doing a bodge job there. I won’t pretend we’ve finished the job and fixed the problem, only to leave another mess that needs to be fixed later down the line. That’s the honestly working people deserve.

I don’t look backwards, I never have. Mirror readers will judge me on my actions. We’re only just getting started.

I want to fix the foundations and build a new Britain together. A nation that works for all of us. A country we all feel proud to live in. That is what the British people voted for 100 days ago. That is what this Labour government will deliver.