Keir Starmer FIRES BACK at Tony Blair after ex-PM blasts Labour for having ‘no coherent plan’

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]Let me start with where I agree with Tony Blair. Um I agree with him uh that we should be having a discussion about policy and ideas and that's what generates politics. That's where the focus should be. So Tony is right about that. You won't be surprised to know that I don't agree uh with uh much of what Tony says about what the government is doing. Uh we can all argue about individual policies, but the real question is what's the change? reports the difference that is happening in a country that we inherited 2 years ago in a very poor place. We put the policy in place to stabilize the economy and make sure that it grew. So wealth was created in every part of the country because of our policy choices. That is happening and you see that in the figures that were out uh this year in recent months in particular. We took policy choices that we needed better public services.

[00:00:50]They were on their knees when we inherited them. We took policy choices that we would invest in those public services that we would introduce new technologies particularly in the NHS as a result uh waiting list coming down with the biggest drop uh for 17 years actually recorded just two weeks ago. So with the right policy choices there we also had to address the question of how do we get migration down without affecting economic growth which is a difficult balance. Again, we took our policy choices and you're seeing the growth figures are up, the migration figures are down, which tells you the change that we brought about in two short years. And then on the sort of international stage, which is obviously hugely important at such a volatile time, uh we have in two short years rebuilt our relationship with many countries particularly in the EU. We're now a trusted uh colleague u and ally of our EU partners but at the same time as maintaining our relationship with the US and so many people said that wouldn't be polic possible. So actually my response to Tony is yes it's right to talk about policy. It's right to talk about ideas.

[00:01:56]That's where the debate should be. But actually no I don't agree that the policy choice of this government weren't the right policy choices given what we inherited. Very different situation in 2024 to 1997 and dealing with what we had to turn around the policy choices vindicate. We're vindicated by them because those changes have happened.

[00:02:16]>> Will you run?

[00:02:19]I've said many times that um I was elected, we were elected on a mandate of change in 2024. I'm not going to walk away um from that because of the great change that we brought about already. Um there's obviously more work to do. The economy is stabilizing, but we want to make sure that where there's economic growth, more wealth, it's in every part of the country. Doing a lot of work, for example, on apprenticeships, hugely important in light of Alan Bilmore's uh report. I want young people to have the chance to earn or to learn. that doesn't happen without a government that rolls up its sleeves, gets on the pitch, and gives them those opportunities. Want public services to be better. We've already changed the NHS for the better.

[00:02:56]So, there's a lot more to do. And as I've said a number of times, I'm not walking away from the responsibility that was invested in me. People uh invested in me, the responsibility to get on and govern. Um, and I think the vast majority of people want us politicians to get on with the job they elected us to do, which is get on, run the country, and improve their lives.

[00:03:16]And that's what I'll do. Well, we asked Alan Milburn to do this report because I've been really worried about young people and the number of them that are out of work. This is a longstanding long-term problem. It's been going on for many years. It's complicated and complex. As Alan Melbourne makes clear, there's no single uh uh thing that you can say that's the reason. Um so obviously we will now work with Allan on what more needs to be done. I'm pleased that some of the measures we've already put in place are coming on train uh next month. Uh so particularly the stuff about apprentices. We've been talking to apprentices here. Vitally important for young people. So what we put in place is £3,000 support for any employer that takes someone who's been unemployed for 6 months, a young person, and gives them an apprentichip that start that they need. Also, if a young person's been out of work for 18 months, uh we're guaranteeing a job for them for six months. We know from previous experience that that gives them a good chance of maintaining that job. So some of those measures are in place. We clearly need to go more. This is, you know, I think a real sobering report and we cannot afford, we will not allow uh a lost generation. And so we'll work with Allan now on what more needs to be done.