Starmer warns of tough times ahead, cites Tory legacy

KEIR Starmer is set to warn that life in Britain will "get worse" before it gets "better" in his first major speech since taking office.

The prime minister is expected to use the speech to criticise the legacy left by the previous Conservative government.

His comments follow accusations that Labour is laying the groundwork for tax increases, despite pre-election promises to avoid such measures.

"We have inherited not just an economic black hole but a societal black hole. And that is why we have to take action and do things differently," Starmer will say, according to excerpts of the speech released in advance. "Part of that is being honest with people about the choices we face. And how tough this will be. Frankly, things will get worse before we get better."

Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently warned of "difficult decisions" regarding whether to cut spending or raise taxes in her first budget on October 30. Reeves has accused the former Conservative government, led by Rishi Sunak, of leaving a £22 billion deficit in this year's budget.

Critics argue that Labour was already aware of the financial situation and is preparing the public for unpopular decisions.

Starmer is expected to tell the public that the situation is "worse than we ever imagined." This theme has been echoed by ministers since the Labour Party's victory.

However, commentators have warned that the public may quickly tire of Labour blaming the Conservatives if it does not demonstrate clear progress in addressing the country's challenges.

Key election issues included long NHS waiting times, immigration, and the cost-of-living crisis, which has led to widespread strikes, including by emergency healthcare workers.

"In the first few weeks, we discovered a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. And don't let anyone say that this is performative or playing politics," Starmer will say. "The OBR (Office for Budget Responsibility) did not know about this. They wrote a letter saying so. They didn't know because the last government hid it."

Starmer will also address the recent riots following a mass stabbing where three young girls attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class were killed. He is expected to say that the rioters exploited "the cracks in our society after 14 years of populism and failure," referencing the Conservative's time in office.

Officials have attributed the unrest to far-right elements who targeted mosques, asylum-seeker housing, and police officers. Authorities have noted that misinformation, particularly the false claim that the suspect was a Muslim asylum-seeker, fueled the violence. Axel Rudakubana, the 17-year-old suspect, was born in Britain to Rwandan parents.

In response to this, Conservative Party chairman Richard Fuller said, “Just two months in, and Keir Starmer has taken winter fuel payments away from 10 million pensioners, showered billions of taxpayers’ money on his union paymasters, and is now engulfed in a cronyism scandal after appointing donors and supporters to top taxpayer-funded jobs.

“The soft-touch Labour Chancellor is squandering money while fabricating a financial black hole in an attempt to con the public into accepting tax rises, literally leaving pensioners in the cold.

“The prime minister really should tell his Chancellor to reverse course or step in himself to overturn her decision.”

(With inputs from AFP)