Starmer offers hope of ‘a new Britain’ but warns there are 'no easy answers'

Prime Minister will outline vision for country at Labour conference after a tough period for his party

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is to call on people to join a “shared struggle” to get the UK through short-term pressures but will promise there is “light at the end of this tunnel”.

Sir Keir is under pressure to present a more hopeful vision for the country after spending much of the time since July’s General Election highlighting problems left by the previous Government.

In his first Labour Party conference speech as PM, Sir Keir will say he wants to “build a new Britain” but is set to warn that there are no easy answers and he could not offer “false hope” about the challenges ahead.

The Prime Minister’s attempts to set out a positive vision of “national renewal” will come against a backdrop of anger about the decision to means-test winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners, along with a row over Sir Keir and other senior Labour figures accepting donations for clothes, concert tickets and other items.

He will say: “I know this country is exhausted by and with politics. I know that the cost-of-living crisis drew a veil over the joy and wonder in our lives and that people want respite and relief, and may even have voted Labour for that reason.

“Our project has not and never will change. I changed the Labour Party to restore it to the service of working people. And that is exactly what we will do for Britain.

“But I will not do it with easy answers. I will not do it with false hope.”

In a sign that he will be prepared to push ahead with reforms to the economy and public services despite the prospect of resistance, Sir Keir will say: “I have to warn you, working people do want more decisive Government. They do want us to rebuild our public services and they do want that to lead to more control in their lives.

“But their pockets are not deep – not at all. So we have to be a great reforming government.”

The opening weeks of Labour’s government have been characterised by a gloomy outlook on the public finances, with the claimed £22bn “black hole” left by the Tories blamed for the decision to squeeze winter fuel payments.

But Sir Keir will attempt to set out a vision for “national renewal” that he hopes will benefit everyone in the UK.

He will say: “The politics of national renewal are collective. They involve a shared struggle.

“A project that says, to everyone, this will be tough in the short term, but in the long term – it’s the right thing to do for our country. And we all benefit from that.”