This week marks Keir Starmer’s fifth month in No10 following Labour’s landslide victory during the summer – and we asked Mirror readers to share their thoughts on how it’s going so far.
User Scottishbrit defended the party’s time in office, writing: “After 14 disgraceful corrupt years of a Conservative / Brexit Party dictatorship. Starmer and Labour always had to make seriously hard decisions to SAVE Britain going bankrupt again.”
While Dibbyd echoed: “They started below rock bottom. We have no services or NHS anymore. They have made decisions that have been tough to fill the hole and start to better fund the NHS and services. This has not significantly affected UK citizens – remember why we have a hole – under Sunak and BJ amounting to £26b. We will now see an improvement.”
“If anyone has ever repaired a broken system, they will know there is no quick fix. You have to go through some hard times first to get back on track. Then make it better”, agreed LynxVegas. While RubyTuesday2 penned: “Well done to the Labour Party. It was never going to be an easy task clearing up after the Conservatives.”
It comes as the PM prepares to outline his Government’s plans to change Britain in a major speech this week, where he will set specific targets on how to fix the NHS, reduce crime and boost living standards. On Thursday, Starmer is expected to highlight goals on driving down NHS waiting lists and boosting early years education so more kids arrive at primary school ready to learn by the next election.
The blueprint is also expected to include targets on driving up living standards, policing and delivering clean power by 2030. The five month milestone arrives as the Government pushes ahead with the first rollout of free breakfast clubs in primary schools, in a drive to improve behaviour, attainment and attendance.
Once the pilot ends in 2026, free breakfast clubs will be introduced in every primary school across the country, meaning some 4.6million kids would be eligible. Meanwhile last week, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall published the Get Britain Working white paper, marking the government’s first major intervention to achieve an ambitious 80 percent employment rate.
The PM has claimed he will clamp down on the benefits bill by targeting fraudsters who are trying to “game the system”, adding that those who genuinely need benefits will be treated “with dignity and respect”. Labour recently announced plans to rebrand Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) with ‘respect orders’, in a bid to tackle repeat offenders.
Failing to comply with the orders – set out in Labour’s election manifesto as part of the party’s promise to “return law and order to our streets” – will be a criminal offence. Starmer said the new orders are “about restoring respect – for each other and for our society”, adding: “It’s time to take back our streets.”
However, more than 2.5million people have signed a petition calling for another general election, accusing the Government of “breaking pledges”. It follows the controversial decision to axe Winter Fuel Payments for more than ten million pensioners, and a backlash to tax hikes slapped on employers and farmers in the Budget.
As Starmer prepares to set out his “Plan for Change”, we want to know if you think Labour has had a good start in Government. Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
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