Keir Starmer will today set out six major targets to deliver on his election-winning promise to rebuild Britain.
Five months to the day since becoming Prime Minister, No10 said Mr Starmer will unveil a “clear destination” for the country over the next five years.
The six “milestones” are expected to include slashing NHS waiting lists, building 1.5million new homes and thousands more bobbies on the beat. The “Plan for Change” will also focus on raising living standards, giving children the best start in life and securing home-grown energy, Downing Street said.
It is expected to include numerical targets on driving down waiting lists for routine operations. In the speech – around 11am – Mr Starmer will say: “My Government was elected to deliver change, and today marks the next step. People are tired of being promised the world, but short-term sticking plaster politics letting them down.”
His pledge for 13,000 extra neighbourhood policing officers, PCSOs and special constables will include a promise for a named, contactable officer in every community.
Keir Starmer’s milestones
NHS: Millions of people are languishing on NHS waiting lists. The PM will set out details for one key target when it comes to the health service – cutting them.
Schools: Plans will be set out to make sure kids are school-ready when they start reception. Teachers are losing more than two hours a day in reception classes, with a quarter of children starting school not fully toilet trained, while behaviour problems are spiralling.
Crime: Cutting crime will be another priority for the PM. Under a new neighbourhood policing guarantee, the PM will promise to put more bobbies on the beat as he reaffirms Labour’s pledge to recruit 13,000 new police officers, PCSOs and special constables.
Living Standards: While it is the government’s mission to grow the economy, No10 aides are said to believe that a focus on money in people’s pockets and an improvement in living standards will cut through more than jargon about economic growth. A housebuilding target is also rumoured.
Clean energy: The PM is expected to champion the publicly-owned firm GB Energy, which will secure home-grown energy and protect the country from reliance on foreign dictators like Putin. The PM is expected to make a pledge on green jobs as Labour’s promise to cut energy bills by £300 is not expected to be fulfilled until 2030.
Immigration: While it is not strictly part of one of Labour’s missions, the Government is expected to make a pledge on immigration. Ministers insist they will not make a numerical target for cutting migration but the PM is expected to address the issue after blaming the Tories for running an experiment with “open borders”.
These officers will be ordered to spend time on patrol, providing “a relief to millions of people scared to walk their streets they call home”, he will say. The PM will outline a range of policing reforms alongside £100 million to support neighbourhood policing.
Labour pledged to recruit the new officers as part of a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee in its manifesto, which would bring the total police workforce back to 2010 levels.
Numbers of officers fell under the Tories before rising again after 2019 when Boris Johnson ’s government pledged to recruit 20,000 police officers.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to write to police chiefs setting out how forces will be held to account on these commitments.
She said: “This marks a return to the founding principles of British policing – where officers are part of the communities they serve. Through this visible, responsive police presence in every neighbourhood, we will restore the trust and partnership that lies at the heart of keeping our communities safe.”
But Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has already branded the speech an “emergency reset” after a challenging five months in office.