Exclusive: Keir Starmer To Launch Autumn Fightback Against Farage's Claim 'Britain Is Broken'

Keir Starmer in the Downing Street garden.Keir Starmer will launch an autumn fightback against Nigel Farage’s claim that “Britain is broken”, HuffPost UK can reveal.The prime minister will use the run-up to the Labour Party conference to highlight what he believes are the positive steps the government has taken to improve the country since last year’s general election.Reform leader Farage has repeatedly said that the UK no longer works properly and that only his party can fix it.Speaking at their annual conference last year, he said: “If Britain is broken, then logically Britain needs Reform.”But a No.10 source told HuffPost UK that Starmer wants to challenge those claims head-on.“It’ll be about how the government is a force for good backing Britain, dismissing this sense of Britain being broken which the other parties seem obsessed with,” the source said.“That will be a big part of the run up to conference. Reform and the Tories talk about Britain being broken and that’s just not what the prime minister thinks.“We do believe that the state and the economy need rewiring, but that’s a hopeful and optimistic take on the situation. We want to modernise for the future and make sure we’re an agile state. But Britain is not broken.”Starmer is under pressure from Labour MPs to turn around his party’s fortunes after a difficult first year in office which has seen the party’s popularity plummet.Reform have consistently led the opinion polls in recent months amid the government’s struggles to get the economy growing and make good on its promise to end small boat crossings by “smashing” the people-smuggling gangs.HuffPost UK has also learned that the government plans to mount a strong defence of the decisions Rachel Reeves took in last year’s Budget, when she put up taxes by around £40 billion.The chancellor has been criticised for her decision to increase employers’ National Insurance, with the move being blamed for the unemployment rate going up.The No.10 source said: “We’re pleased with and confident talking about the fruits of the decisions we took in October, such as the four million extra NHS appointments, which have been paid for thanks to the money we raised in the Budget.“There are always choices to be made at these fiscal events and we’re proud that we stuck to our manifesto promises to protect the pockets of hardworking people.”Reeves faces having to fill yet another financial black hole, with some experts saying it could be as high as £50 billion.However, the source insisted she will not ditch Labour’s election manifesto pledge not to increase income tax, VAT or employees’ National Insurance.They said: “The manifesto stands.”Related...Top Putin Ally Goads Starmer's Coalition Of The Willing With Trump ClaimA Former Labour Leader Says Keir Starmer Must Do This 1 Thing To Tackle Child PovertyNigel Farage Modestly Claims Starmer Is 'Completely Obsessed With Me'

Comments

Breaking news

BBC Presenter Skewers Chris Philp As He Brutally Exposes Tory Asylum Hotel Hypocrisy

Huffpost uk

The princess who had a 'slightly sadistic streak' and could be 'extremely demanding' and 'bad-tempered' towards her palace staff

about 2 hours ago

Bikini-clad Britney Spears dances to ex Justin Timberlake's song on vacation after sparking fan concern

Dailymail

Comments

Similar News

Exclusive — Girdusky: Republicans Have Clear Advantage in Redistricting Numbers Game

Exclusive—Peter Navarro: Time to Investigate the FBI Agent Who Tried to Take Down Trump And Me

Exclusive -- Harrison Fields: Trump White House Momentum Leaving Democrats and Media ‘with No Idea How to Stop It’

'Alarm' over exclusion of child sexual exploitation from strategy to tackle violence against women and girls

Exclusive: President Trump Oversees 367% Increase in ICE Arrests of Illegal Aliens in Georgia

Exclusive -- Trump CFPB Closes Biden-Era Weaponized Investigation Against Public Square, Credova

Exclusive: Trump's DHS Reaching 40 Million Americans Weekly on Social Media, Sidestepping Corporate Media

Exclusive — Senator Bernie Moreno: Colombians Are Ready for Trump to Restore American Power

Exclusive: MAHA Chef Andrew Gruel Explains How Big Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It

Exclusive — Harmeet Dhillon: 75% of Biden's DOJ Civil Rights Division Left; Now Hiring for Real Enforcement

Exclusive: Israeli MK Barred from Australia over Fears He’d ‘Radicalize Muslims’ — Slams Gov’t for ‘Caving to Terror’

Exclusive: RHONY star accuses iconic artist ex-fiancée of sexual harassment and millions of dollars in theft

Exclusive -- Marsha Blackburn Explains What Governors Can Do to Bring Back Manufacturing

Fury in Italy as exclusive beach clubs 'steal the seaside' with vast stretches of coastline no longer free to access

Exclusive -- Attorney General Ken Paxton: John Cornyn a 'Washington Insider' That Pushed Gun Control, Insinuated 'Amnesty,' Fought Trump on Border Wall

‘Breaking the Law’ Exclusive: President Trump Warns Rampant Judge-Shopping Is the Left’s ‘Final Weapon’ That Could ‘Take Down America’

Exclusive: Top Treasury Adviser Says Blue Collar Wage Boom Will 'Get Even Better' Under Big Beautiful Bill

Exclusive — Rep. Ashley Hinson: Trump Seeing Tremendous Success on Border and Crime, 'This Is Just the Start'

Exclusive -- Rep. Ashley Hinson on Midterms: I Think We'll Hold the House

Exclusive -- Rep. Ashley Hinson on Trump-Putin Meeting: Trump Using His Leverage to Get People to the Table

Breaking news

BBC Presenter Skewers Chris Philp As He Brutally Exposes Tory Asylum Hotel Hypocrisy

Severance Star Adam Scott Almost Quit Acting After Losing Out On This Huge Role

This ‘invisible’ data trail can reveal your location, health status and even sexuality to scammers

Tory councillor’s wife Lucy Connolly jailed for Southport post to ‘walk free’ today

An entire wooden church is being moved across a city – this is why

Chinese man jailed for 8 years in US for smuggling arms to North Korea

UK government borrowed lower than forecast in July in boost for Rachel Reeves

Sanex shower gel advert banned over racial stereotype

US Navy ship USS New Orleans catches fire while docked in Japan

California resident tests positive for plague after camping near Lake Tahoe

Prosecutors say Sean 'Diddy' Combs' request for acquittal or new trial should be swiftly rejected

‘World’s nicest judge’ Frank Caprio dies at 88 after pancreatic cancer battle

Boeing plane diverts moments after take off as bright flashes spark in sky

Why inflation has risen above expectations – and what it means for you

Construction begins on ‘landmark’ windfarm that will power 335,000 homes

How benefit and pension payment dates will change over bank holiday weekend

Here’s why NASA wants your photos of hurricane damage

Just over half Dumfries and Galloway stroke patients received best chance care in 2024

Dumfries workers climb Criffel after pal beats aggressive form of lung cancer

Party time in Kirkcudbright as massive crowds turn out for grand parade

McDonald's 'disappointed' as plans for second Dumfries branch face refusal

Eight-year-old girl 'sacrificed' with eyes gouged out for pregnant woman

Blantyre Leisure Centre closes for four weeks of refurbishments

Council clean-up crews bagged more than five tonnes of litter on rural roads

Extension plan at Ayrshire nursing home is approved

Ayrshire care worker stole Autistic residents' TV

Tot orphaned after 'perfect family' wiped out by quadruple murder-suicide

Tributes pour in after sudden death of dad-of-two who 'lit up every room'

Surprise good news as government borrowing less than forecast

'Forbidden' Bible text finally explains how Jesus died and rose again

'A&E sent my partner away with Gaviscon, he died days later'

Oldest person in the world turns 116 in a Surrey care home

Man told to tear down £5,000 driveway he built to help disabled wife

'Desperate' Kemi Badenoch accused of 'hypocritical nonsense' over asylum hotels

GCSE results day 2025: Grade boundaries decoded and exactly what students need to pass

GCSE results: Prince William, Kate Middleton and Harry's scores - and royal who failed

Brits waiting for parcels warned about 'phantom' scam sweeping the nation

Mum shot terminally ill husband and their two children - leaving boy, 3, an orphan

Tragedy as dad who 'lit up every room he walked in' dies at 32

'I won't wear knickers again after mistake left me screaming in pain'

Girl, 8, executed and had eyes gouged out in sinister 'sacrifice' for soon-to-be mother

Gen Z drives boom in boxed wine - as it's cheaper and more sustainable

Pensioners who rent need extra £398,000 saved to cover the cost

The princess who had a 'slightly sadistic streak' and could be 'extremely demanding' and 'bad-tempered' towards her palace staff

Bikini-clad Britney Spears dances to ex Justin Timberlake's song on vacation after sparking fan concern

What was an average breakfast for Britain's fattest and 'most useless' monarch?

1000-lb Sisters star Tammy Slaton shows off new teeth after dramatic weight loss

How to avoid your pension falling behind when you have a baby

Why a town surrounded by wind turbines has been forced to bring in diesel generators to keep the lights on

Many happy returns! British woman who is world's oldest living person celebrates her 116th birthday in Surrey care home

Kate Middleton's favourite handbag brand collaborates with Princess Diana's nieces on chic campaign - and pieces are set to sell out

Governments have 'failed white working-class students' and Britain is falling behind as a result, Bridget Phillipson claims

JD Vance's threat for Zelensky to 'behave' revealed as VP urges Elon Musk to join future of MAGA

Government launches urgent bid to find 5,000 homes for 20,000 asylum seekers - as councils prepare to fight against migrant hotels after shock Epping court ruling

GCSE results day 2025: Pupils across UK to receive exam grades amid warning of 'fiercest ever' scramble for college places - live updates

Poland scrambles war planes as Russia unleashes hypersonic missile barrage and strikes Ukrainian city near NATO border - as Kremlin calls West's peace talks 'a road to no-where'

Tom Brady gets destroyed by his friends over this picture with son Jack, 17