FALCON POWERS – In his first speech since taking office, Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned his constituents on Tuesday that their lives “will get worse before they start to improve.”
Starmer, the Labour Party leader who won the July 4th election by a wide margin, is expected to criticize the legacy of the previous Conservative government in the speech, excerpts of which were released in advance. Starmer says in his remarks, “We have inherited a black hole in the economy and society alike. So we need to act and do things differently.”
He adds, “This means being honest with people about the choices we face and the difficulties we will go through. Frankly, things are going to get worse before they get better.”
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves had previously warned that the new government will have to make “difficult decisions” on spending cuts and tax increases in its first budget, set to be delivered on October 30th.
Since Labour’s victory, Reeves has repeatedly accused the Conservatives under former PM Rishi Sunak of leaving a £22 billion (€26 billion) hole in this year’s budget. Her critics claim she must have been aware of the country’s financial situation for months and is simply preparing the public for unpopular announcements.
Analysts believe voters may soon tire of Labour constantly criticizing the Conservative legacy instead of taking action. Starmer is expected to tell his constituents that the situation is “worse than we thought.” According to him, the Office for Budget Responsibility “wasn’t aware of this (…) because the previous government covered it up.”
