Getty ImagesSir Keir Starmer warned there would be a “common fight” ahead in his first speech as Prime Minister to the Labor Party conference but said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” for the country.
The Prime Minister will say “tough” decisions need to be made now to “build a new Britain”.
The Labor government has painted a bleak picture of public finances since coming to power, but the Prime Minister will seek to set out a more positive vision for the future in his speech.
However, he faces the wrath of trade unions and many Labor members Decision to cut fuel costs in winter For millions of pensioners.
Controversy over donations to Sir Keir and other Labor ministers also dampened the atmosphere at the Liverpool conference – which took place less than three months after the party’s landslide election victory.
In his speech, Sir Keir will promise a future of “national regeneration”.
“The politics of national renewal are collective. They involve common struggles,” he would say.
“This plan will be difficult for everyone in the short term, but in the long term it’s the right thing for our country.
“We all benefit from it.”
Echoing the message from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Monday speechSir Keir will say that “if we take the tough long-term decisions now” there will be “light at the end of the tunnel”.
However, he will warn against offering “easy answers” and offering “false hope”.
Sir Keir will also announce new legislation to crack down on benefit fraudsters, which Labor says it expects to save £1.6 billion over the next five years.
Under the plans, the Department for Work and Pensions will be given new powers to investigate suspected benefit fraud and recover debts from individuals who could afford to repay but avoided doing so.
Labor said safeguards would be put in place to protect vulnerable claimants.
The party accused the previous Conservative government of leaving a “black hole” of £22bn in unfunded spending commitments in the public finances – The Conservatives dispute this.
Sir Keir will reiterate the claim in his speech, saying the Conservatives have also “destroyed public services and left communities held together by goodwill alone”.
But he warned that working people’s pockets were “not deep” and public services needed “reform” and investment.
“Just because we all want low taxes and good public services doesn’t mean the ironclad laws of appropriate funding policy can be ignored,” he added.
Labor has repeatedly pledged not to raise taxes on “working people”, including VAT, National Insurance and income tax.
However, the Prime Minister has already said She will have to raise some other taxes in October’s budget due to the state of public finances.
The government has also blamed its decision to cut winter fuel payments on a £22bn black hole.
A debate and non-binding vote on the issue had been expected on Monday but will now likely take place on Wednesday, when many activists will leave the meeting.
Unite was among the unions calling for the cuts to be reversed, describing the delay as “angry”.
