Keir Starmer will say that the Labor Party is “no longer a party of protest, but a party of service.” Photo: Jacob King/PA
Sir Keir Starmer will urge voters on Thursday to retain the “glimmer of hope that things can get better” and vow to crush the Tories' divide-and-decline policy.
In a major speech at the start of an election year, the Labor Party leader will declare that his party is “no longer a party of protest, but a party of service.” He will argue that the only chance for “national renewal” is to “defeat this pathetic Tory project.”
Sir Keir will tell voters in a “downtrodden country” to have faith in the power of their vote, adding: “You're right. speaking out against Westminster and angry at what politics has become.”
“But hold on to any glimmer of hope in your heart that things can be better—because they can, and you can choose to. You can reject the meaningless populist gestures and short-sighted cynicism that the Tories say is all you deserve.”
Sir Keir heads into the election year with a lead in the polls and a determination to succeed. an important speech before the return of parliament shows his desire to seize the initiative.
Instead, Rishi Sunak will host a closed-door Q&A session with business and community leaders; postponing his New Year's speech until Monday. A government source said: “He will be saying we've made a lot of progress – don't risk throwing it to Labour's door.” Speaking in the south west, Sir Keir will say: “We're not just trying to win Tories, but also to defeat their whole way of doing politics, a way of thinking that looks for any differences between the people of this country.
“I have to warn you all: they will leave no stone unturned this year either. Any possibility of a split will be examined for its political potential – that’s a given. But we must unite the country and win trust as well as votes. To truly defeat this pathetic Tory project, we must crush their politics of division and decadence with a renewal of the Labor Party.”
Urging voters to take a fresh look at the Labor Party, he will say: “Don't listen to the siren voices that say we are all the same. We are not and never will be. Don't listen to people who say we can't change Britain. We can and will do this.”
In an attempt to distance himself from Jeremy Corbyn, his far-left predecessor, he will say he is leading a “changed Labor Party” that is “no longer captive to political gestures, no longer a party protest, but a party of service.”
He will add: “The opportunity to shape the future of our country is in your hands. And this is a New Year's message of hope – hope for democracy, the power of the vote and the potential for national renewal.”
On a personal note, Sir Keir will say: “I hate the futility of the opposition. The powerlessness and pain that comes from watching the Tories lead the country I love into the rocks of decline.
“This is not why I came into politics. I came into politics to serve and achieve a goal. Strive every day to change the lives of workers for the better. It's what gets me up in the morning and, if you can put aside the reality of Westminster for a moment, it's why I still believe in politics as a force for good.”
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