Labour has shred Keir Starmer's lower spending pledge, critics say

2023-01-19

Labour spending commitments destroy Keir Starmer’s pledge to curb cash splurges, critics say

Keir Starmer vowed to end the party’s big spending reputation earlier this year
Treasury analysis shows that Labour’s spending commitments total £45.2 billion
Households would have to pay an extra £1,650 in tax to cover Labour’s spending
Labour last night said that many of their statements were not firm commitments

Labour was accused last night of shredding Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to end the party’s big spending reputation after announcing £45billion of commitments in a fortnight.

At the start of this year, the Labour leader promised the party would no longer commit to ‘getting its big government chequebook out’.

But Treasury analysis suggests that since the speech on January 6, Labour frontbenchers have made spending commitments totalling £45.2billion, which would cost an extra £1,650 in tax per household.

Chief secretary to the Treasury John Glen said: ‘Labour have already broken their New Year’s resolutions by reaching for the “big government chequebook”.’

Labour was accused last night of shredding Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to end the party’s big spending reputation after announcing £45billion of commitments in a fortnight

Labour last night insisted that many of the statements by shadow ministers were not firm commitments – and insisted that its election manifesto would be ‘fully costed’.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has drawn up plans with Sir Keir to restore confidence in Labour’s economic competence and counter the party’s reputation for profligacy.

Miss Reeves pledged to introduce ‘iron clad discipline’ to the party’s approach to the public finances.

The pair travelled to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last night in a bid to convince voters that the party is finally ready to be trusted with the economy again.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has drawn up plans with Sir Keir to restore confidence in Labour’s economic competence and counter the party’s reputation for profligacy

Miss Reeves claimed Labour had ‘the ambition and the practical ideas to have our country lead on the global stage again’.

It comes amid dismay in some quarters that Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are not attending the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum to drum up trade.

Instead, Business Secretary Grant Shapps and International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch are representing the UK Government.

Speaking at an event on Ukraine last night, Mr Shapps accused Labour of merely offering ‘soundbites about whatever they don’t like’.

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