Sir Keir Starmer has boldly declared that the next general election will be a showdown between him and Nigel Farage, claiming the Tories are a “busted flush.” His comments come as Labour and the government both face increasing pressure, especially after the recent local election results, where Reform UK managed to leave both Labour and the Tories trailing.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun on Sunday during a visit to Kyiv, Starmer said the next election will likely come down to him versus Farage. “Certainly, we were planning on the basis that we were likely to be facing Reform at the next election in any event. So that coincides with our thinking,” Starmer said, reported the Sun.
He didn’t hold back when critiquing Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, calling the Conservative Party a “busted flush” and accusing them of failing to learn from the last general election. “They have no idea where they are heading. And they have got a leader who is showing no leadership,” he said.
Starmer emphasised that Labour needs to deliver meaningful change, citing improvements in the NHS and the rise in wages outpacing inflation as examples of what he considers progress. “But we need to make sure people feel that change in their pockets and in their everyday lives. That is what I am intent on delivering,” he added.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is preparing to unveil Labour’s much-anticipated plan to address record levels of immigration. The plan, set to be revealed tomorrow, includes tough time-limits and restrictions on recruitment for jobs with critical skill shortages. Employers will also be required to train workers from the UK to fill roles, in a bid to reduce the country’s reliance on foreign labour while getting young unemployed Brits into jobs.
The crackdown on immigration comes after a period of growing frustration with the current system, which the Prime Minister described as “broken.” He highlighted that a population equivalent to the size of Birmingham had arrived in the UK in just four years, underscoring what he sees as the failure of the immigration system. “No control, business hooked on cheap labour, and Brits’ wages undercut. This failed experiment stops. I’m shutting down the lab,” he said.
He also promised a more secure and fair immigration system, stating that by tightening visa restrictions, clamping down on system abuses, and boosting training for British workers, he would ensure the system works better for the public. “By clamping down on abuse of the system, tightening time limits on visas, and boosting training for Brits, we’ll make our borders secure, the system fair, and Brits better off. This is the change I was elected to deliver,” the PM concluded.
The focus on immigration is set to be a key issue as both Labour and the Tories gear up for the next election, with both sides seemingly trying to one-up each other on who can deliver the most substantial reforms.
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