Keir Starmer says government will have to be unpopular and make tough choices

The prime minister has informed the BBC that his new government is “going to have to be unpopular” and make tough choices so as to deliver reforms.

Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg in his first main interview in workplace, Keir Starmer mentioned the one manner to change the nation was to do “difficult things now” though “I know they are unpopular”.

Defending his resolution to remove winter fuel payments from most pensioners, he mentioned earlier governments had “run away from difficult decisions” and Labour might solely maintain its guarantees if he acted in his first few months in workplace.

No 10 faces a potential rebellion in Parliament this week when there will be a vote on the choice to axe the fee for all however the poorest pensioners.

The prime minister mentioned the choice was needed due to the state of the nation’s funds, accusing earlier governments of avoiding confronting points like the price of winter gas funds.

“I’m convinced that because they’ve run away from difficult decisions, we haven’t got the change we need for the country,” he mentioned.

He mentioned he was “absolutely convinced we will only deliver that change, I’m absolutely determined we will, if we do the difficult things now. I know they’re unpopular, I know they’re difficult, of course they’re tough choices.”

“Popular decisions aren’t tough, they are easy,” he added.

Sir Keir’s private scores have already suffered a drop since he took workplace, with the choice to axe winter gas funds, repeated warnings concerning the state of the economic system, and stress on government spending forward of the finances on the finish of October.

The full interview with the prime minister the place he responds to the Grenfell tragedy, the summer season riots, and his upcoming go to to the White House will air at 09:00 BST on Sunday.

Sir Keir additionally spoke concerning the NHS in England, saying it had been been “broken” by successive Conservative-led governments – and the state it’s now in is “unforgiveable”.

He mentioned a assessment of the well being service to be printed on Thursday finds adjustments to the NHS had been “hopelessly misconceived”.

Sir Keir added that the assessment by an eminent surgeon, Lord Darzi, is predicted to reveal too many kids “are being let down” by the well being service.

In response to Sir Keir’s feedback, shadow well being secretary Victoria Atkins mentioned after 14 years in opposition, “Labour’s instinct is to politicise children’s health, rather than provide solutions and reform our NHS”.

Watch the complete interview from 09:00 BST on Sunday on BBC One or BBC iPlayer.