Starmer promises his ‘plan for change’ will improve people’s lives

The Prime Minister has promised a “relentless focus on delivering for working people” ahead of a major speech setting out targets to measure progress on his Government’s plans. Under the “plan for change”, the Government will promise a named, contactable police officer for every neighbourhood in England and Wales.

The speech on Thursday has been billed as setting out the “next phase” of Sir Keir’s administration, detailing the “milestones” for achieving the five missions laid out in Labour’s election manifesto. Ahead of the speech, Sir Keir said: “We were elected with a mandate of change.

“The next phase of mission-led government continues our relentless focus on delivering for working people. “Our plan for change sets out ambitious yet achievable milestones that will improve people’s lives across the country.” But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has already branded the speech an “emergency reset” after a challenging five months in office.

Downing Street said the milestones would focus on raising living standards, rebuilding Britain, ending hospital backlogs, putting more police on the beat, giving children the best start in life and securing home-grown energy.

Among the promises expected to be announced on Thursday is a guarantee that every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable police officer responsible for dealing with local issues.

The Prime Minister is expected to describe the move as “a relief to millions of people scared to walk their streets they call home”, and promise a range of policing reforms to improve performance alongside £100 million to support neighbourhood policing.

Labour has already pledged to put in place 13,000 police officers, PCSOs and special constables by the time of the next election, which would bring the total police workforce to a level above its 2010 peak.

Police numbers fell following the 2010 election, before rising again after 2019 as the previous government pledged to recruit 20,000 police officers. While the number of officers reached record levels, the number of PCSOs and special constables continued to decline.

The additional £100 million next year would pay for the recruitment of around 1,200 police officers, Home Secretary Yvette Cooer said. The promise of a named officer for each community is intended to improve relations between the police and the public.

But the Conservatives said only a third of the 13,000 new recruits would be full police officers, while the £100 million would not cover what was needed to pay for them, leading to cuts elsewhere. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: “The Conservatives recruited over 20,000 extra police officers and gave the police an extra £922 million for policing this year, ensuring the police could protect the public and prosecute more criminals.

“Starmer has once again misled the public by claiming to recruit an extra 13,000 officers when the actual number is 3,000, and even that is not properly funded.” Sir Keir’s targets are based on the five “missions” Labour set out in its manifesto: securing the “highest sustained growth” in the G7 group of wealthy democracies, making Britain a “clean energy superpower”, halving serious violent crime, breaking down “barriers to opportunity” and building an NHS “fit for the future”.

Along with the milestones set to be announced on Thursday, the Prime Minister is expected to propose a significant programme of public sector reform as his Government continues to face questions on how it will achieve its aims without further raising taxes or borrowing.

Sir Keir will say: “Hard-working Brits are going out grafting every day but are getting short shrift from a politics that should serve them. “They reasonably want a stable economy, their country to be safe, their borders secure, more cash in their pocket, safer streets in their town, opportunities for their children, secure British energy in their home, and an NHS that is there when they need it. “My mission-led Government will deliver.”