Keir Starmer makes plea to public: 'If you want change, vote for change'

good morning to you s thanks for joining us good morning I'm very pleased to be your first guest of the Year well it's it's going to be a big year uh a big year all around the world with lots of Elections going off from from Russia to to the US and and further a field I am interested that uh with all the challenges that that we Face here we are lucky still to be born here and to have a vote here oh we're very lucky and this year um we see that in action because it is going to be a ction year it's 2024 we've been waiting and working for this for a long time the first time since 2015 here we've known it's going to be an election year and the power goes to the voters um and so if people want change and I think they do um I can make that case but in the end it's voters who will on whatever day it is be able to go and put that cross on the ballot and determine the future of their country I mean the power of the vote is incredible and it's a reminder this year um voters have the power to vote for Hope and change I hope they do but it is um you know important to remember that that power is with them and and you know my message is if you want change vote for change the working assumption is the second half of the year when when do you think the election will be well I want the election to be as soon as possible we're ready for it I think the country is ready for it um most people say nothing's really working public services are on their knees um I don't feel any better off now than I did 14 years ago when this government started so people want that election um and the sooner it happens the better and now you know we're ready for it I have to say you know the prime minister is sort of almost taking himself out of this sort of the working assumption is as if it's somebody else's working assumption if he had a plan he would set the date and he should set the date um because at the moment um it's very hard to see how him continuing government improves the lives of anybody in the country so that this drift I can't help feeling that um all he really wants to do is to get two years clocked up of his own Premiership and that means he's putting vanity before country and so my challenge to him would be you know if you've got a plan set the date if you haven't got a plan just get on with it as quickly as possible you mentioned there your your challenge to him one thing we wanted to get out of the way at the start of this this interview on Thursday you were asked about live TV debates you said happy to debate at any time I I wasn't sure if that was just a yes to the idea of open debate or more specifically a live TV debate will you commit now to a live TV debate on Sky News head-to-head against RI look I'm very happy to do live debates we will inevit do them in the election I think almost every election recently has had them um you know as to committing to particular ones you know that's to be negotiated but look in principle the more exposure the more the arguments are out there we've got a very positive case to tell and I want every opportunity to make that case me we've wait I've been leader of the lab party now for four years we've been going up pace to pick our party up from a terrible general election result most people thought we couldn't around we've turned it around um I knew we had to change the party expose the government is not fit to govern and then answer the question why labor that's the part of the journey we're on um and I'm very happy to go and make that positive case for change let's get into some of the the details then and uh start with the economy you've committed to to wanting to lower the overall tax burden you've committed to to doing so uh when the financial uh the fiscal head room allows it when in that moment when the head room allows it what's the first tax that you've got your eyes on that you want to cut well the burden on working people is too high when it comes to tax so that's where we would be looking to reduce that burden um and you know frankly the sooner we can do that the better but we do have to recognize that we now have the highest tax burden since the second world war under this government so we've got very very high tax um and which one do you want to cut first and foremost well tax is on working people but ju ju just hear me out because we need to assess why is it that we've got such high tax now I think it's because we've got a low growth economy because we've had stagnation effectively in the economy for 14 years now and therefore we've got to do more than have a discussion about tax we've got to have a discussion about how we grow the economy and that's primarily why I've set out the idea of mission-driven government purpose-driven government and made the number one mission for an incoming labor government if we are privileged enough to come in to serve to grow The Economist sustainable growth in the economy and to make sure that uh living standards across the whole of the country are going up and so that that's where we've put our energy into those Central missions and setting out the first steps of those missions um already know 1.5 million houses to be built under an incoming labor government 2 million appointments for the NH just to get the back those are goals not not specific policies is there one tax over the course of 5 years when the fiscal head room is there that will definitely Bel low at the end of five years well I want to reduce the burden on working people the only way to do that um in the long term is to grow the economy what you're seeing at the moment from the prime minister is he's floating tax cuts um but he's doing that in his own self-interest he's run out of ideas they're desperately thrashing around um and trying to find dividing lines to go into the election it's not part of um a strategy for growing the economy it's simply picking tax cuts that the Prime Minister thinks might create a dividing line going into the election that is the wrong way to govern whichever party you're in it doesn't matter whether you're conservative or whether you're labor to Simply go down the road of um desperately picking anything that creates a divide rather than having a strategy for the country is is a you know is characteristic of what's gone wrong over the last 14 years Le let's dive into an individual thing that you spoke about on Thursday that the 28 billion pound green investment plan so on Thursday you said that if the fiscal rules don't allow it we'll we'll borrow less you pushed on LBC on Friday uh and you said it was now a confident ambition watered down from previously an outright pledge in that are you saying that the economy in the short term at least is more important than than the environment they're both important but obviously the two have to go together what I am saying is that we are determined to achieve our mission we've got five missions five central things that I want an incoming labor government to achieve and they will be our priorities um growing the economy is the number one the number one without that we won't be able to do what we need to do on climate change on public services that has to be number one but very important as a second mission is clean by 2030 which will reduce our bills which cost 28 billion well we'll reduce our bills will'll give us energy security so that Putin can't put his boot on our um throat and give us the next generation of jobs now that will require investment so in answer to your question not just investment by the way because when we've looked with those we hope to partner with how we achieve clean Power by 2030 they say to me K You' got to look at the planning we can't get um you know infrastructure up quickly enough You' got to look at planning got to look at the national grid because that's much much too slow we want um a proper partnership with government so there are things we can do that aren't investment but yes we need investment um and we will put in investment investment for the future and that's where the 28 billion figure comes from that's subject to the fiscal rules because um economic stability is very very important give me on a moment on this because you made it a pledge and back in the middle of last year when the government relaxed some of its Net Zero targets you said the Prime Minister was being irresponsible with our future and just last month at cop you said the current government is shrinking from its obligation uh Labor uh will act differently and take a lead on this you're saying there is a trade-off between the economy and the environment so so the question here which I get there's a trade-off is do you at least withdraw the accusation of irresponsibility to the government and acknowledge that if not you're being irresponsible too no I don't because um the government is trying to pretend that the date on which an incoming labor government signs particular check uh is what matters what matters is clean Power by 2030 keeping to those targets I'm not prepared to move that date so people keep saying to me are you and if it costs 28 billion you still spend are you moving back on your goal no we're not clean Power by 2030 but look let me you the it's absolutely clear to me that the Tes are trying to sort weaponize this issue the 28 billion um Etc this is a fight I want to have if we can have a fight going into the election between an incoming labor government that wants to invest in the future long-term strategy that will lower our bills and give us energy Independence versus stagnation more of the same under this government they want that fight on borrow to invest I'm absolutely up for that fight because I want to go to the British public and say we've had 14 years of sticking plaster politics where they haven't done any long-term thinking and you're paying the price I would do the hard yards of the long-term thinking I'll borrow to invest and your PR your bills will go down if they want that fight Bring It On Let's uh let's move on to foreign policy uh sakir defense secretary Grant shap said at the start of this week uh that the UK was quote willing to take direct action in the Middle East he was talking about repelling Hy Rebels Inc do do you agree with that I agree with the government on this I'm try carefully because this is a sensitive issue um and we are talking to the government on this um I had a cobra briefing from the government on Friday about it that's indicative of the approach I take when Rishi sunat became prime minister he and I had a private uh phone call that evening and I said to him we will you know robustly challenge each other uphill and down Dale on most things but on National Security on terrorism on Ukraine because that was a dominant issue then uh we will stand as one same applies here um so when the government it's already made a statement as you know of um you know in relation to what's happening in the red s we support that we'll wait to see what next action needs to be taken National Security is the first concern of any government it will be the first concern of an incoming labor government of course um and where action is needed we're prepared to take it what I don't want to do is to sit here getting ahead of the government in an area where I've said um because it's so important um we will you know wherever we can work together so there's one voice coming out of the UK in the Middle East obviously huge Conflict at the moment um and um it will not help the situation in the Red Sea to have uh political divides here that aren't necessary let's explore a bit more the situation in Israel Hamas and how it's manifested back back here in the UK do do you think the protests that we've seen are just free speech in action that we should almost be proud of or has it bubbled over at times and revealed a sort of dark darker side of of certain small groups of British Society bit of both um I'm proud that we have the right to protest and that um on any issue including issues where I may or may not agree with those protesting people can take to the streets and protest and that is good um and we should cherish that um that having been said within some of these protests there have been um pretty obviously criminal offenses committed that the police have had to follow up on quite right too and Beyond the formal protests there have been um a number of um threats and abuse to individuals particularly some MPS which I'm very concerned about the level of threats that are being made to a number of MPS including some within my own party but not just within my own party um so I fiercely defend the right to protest um including on this issue of course but I don't think we can escape the fact that there are these the these threats um not necessarily in the protest but um in and around which we must be very very careful about we've lost parliamentary colleagues in the past um and so this is just some idle discussion it is um a very serious issue you you said in your speech on Thursday um that that you want to find quote a politic that Treads a little lighter on all of our Lives H have whether it's because of the midd EAS issue or broadly has it been politics been a bit overwhelming for for you and your family of late I think it's been overwhelming for many uh people across Britain if you go down the road of nationalism or populism you've always got something you've got to find an enemy you've got to hate and you've got to constantly be in a fight and conflict that's exhausting um for many many people and I that's why I said we should tread more lightly try and find the points of unity stop the division I think um that reflects the British public by the way I think by and large people they have opinions but they're pretty tolerant they' rather work together than not work together I also have one eye on the future I'm absolutely determined to have a a mission driven government I've argued for a decade of national renewal versus the decline we've seen for the last 14 years decade shows it will take time renewal that it's not just to fix the country but to take it forward to make it a better place the national bit in the middle is really important what I'm indicating there is for this to work I know that people who aren't tribally labor um who wouldn't normally necessarily vote labor but want to see their country improve can be part of a wider project so yes I think it reflects the politics of our country I think we've had too much division too much of this um ramming everything down your throat the whole time finding enemies all the time divide divide divide wedge wedge wedge we're very much in this place with this government want to lift that to a better place but to do it with a purpose which is to say there can be a national project here that you can be part of even if you're not tribally labor um clearly we know about uh all of your front bench and the people that support you there lots of people behind the scenes within the labor party that support you too that I've been speaking to times this week what about behind the scenes at home if if you were to make it to the top to being prime minister how much would you owe to your family for the support they give you to your wife oh everything um absolutely everything Vic my wife is fantastic um she is my complete support and partner um in this um she doesn't do anything publicly she wants to get on with her job she works for the NHS we've got two relatively young children a boy was 15 a boy was 13 but it impacts them all of the time every single day um and all of that I do I talk through with Vic um all the big decisions are ones which we sit and talk through um at home and that is a good thing uh it's a I'm not sure she signed up for this when I finished as Chief prosecutor director of public prosecutions and was thinking about going into politics she was sort of ringing out a job ad verts you know to go and carry on doing something in the law um so she didn't necessarily sign up to it but she's absolutely centrally part of it the the and I'm you know we've waited a long time for 2024 I'm really glad this year is here um I want this fight the only thing that sort of keeps me up at night the only thing that worries me is our children because they're 13 and 15 that's difficult ages it will impact them we don't name them in public we don't do photographs with them they go to the local school and I just desperately try to protect them in that way but I know it's going to be harder and I and I do worry about that well your your your wife particular sounds like an amazing lady and and to all your family we thank we thank them for sharing you with us on on a weekend day and I hope you have a fun rest of weekend lined up presumably a bit of watching Arsenal this afternoon I'm going to Arsenal this afternoon to watch them play Liverpool and uh we desperately need a win well I mean I have to be uh impartial for most of the job but I can agree with you on that I I very much hope Arsenal deliver Victory uh this afternoon um to to wrap things up S I mean you've said very clearly you know bring it on uh you've also said uh in your speech earlier this week that the biggest challenge we Face Bar None is apathy yeah I think it's fair to say the top of this interview you wouldn't give me a tax that you're definitely going to cut but we've seen your party ushering the government's changes to immigration without a vote against it it last month um do do you think that if there is apathy uh and there is low turnouts that it's actually on you playing it a bit safe no I don't think that I think it's a reflection of the last 14 years of government we've got very strong I want to go make that argument 1.5 million houses will be built under an incoming labor government if you are struggling to buy a house that's worth fighting for I want to fight for 2 million extra NHS appointments for who are on the waiting list if you're on the waiting list that is worth fighting for I want 700,000 appointments for Dentistry urgent appointments um if you're waiting for an appointment in NHS Dentistry that's worth fighting for and I want to Har violence against women and girls and that is worth fighting for these are Big differences between us and the government they're all worth uh fighting for and that's why this is a year of Hope and change they are definitely go I'd argue that their goals not policies but and then Ju Just Just a final a final question on this note because you if you win you really will have the weight of a Nation on your shoulders I just wonder whether you're feeling the pressure behind the scenes do you feel the burden of that there's obviously been a burden on me in particular since I took over as leader of the labor party a burden to turn our party around and get it to a credible position to win an election and yes I felt that because there's a responsibility to the labor party and to the country to put before the country a credible party that can act on behalf of working people actually as we get to 2024 I'm in really good spirits because this is the chance this is the year I know we'll get to be able to make our case so I've turned into the year in in really good spirits really wanting to make the argument and knowing that in 2024 I get the chance uh to do so positive case for change no longer having to say ah we'll have to wait Etc this is it

Channel: Sky News

Views: 36,277

Keywords: SKY NEWS LIVE, SKY NEWS, LABOUR, CONSERVATIVE, SUNAK, POLITICS, ELECTION, UK, BRITAIN

Id: jmMqGx_4auo

Length: 20min 6sec (1206 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 07 2024