In an interview with Radio News Hub, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he believes his party can deliver the growth needed to make people feel better off
Sir Keir told Radio News Hub’s David Prever he wants people to feel better off at the end of his first term if his party wins the election next week.
But he acknowledges many of his plans for putting more money into people’s pockets relies on the state of the economy.
He said: “We need to get growth, I acknowledge that, that’s why the whole of our manifesto is focused on growth, on wealth creation.
“It’s strange for the Labour Party leader to say my number one mission is wealth creation, but it is, because that is the way we get the money into people’s pockets, and the way we get the money into the system so we can properly fund our public services.”
One of the criticisms Sir Keir has faced over the campaign is that much of what he plans relies on the economy growing as much as he hopes, but he said he’s confident this will happen.
He said: “It’s not just a hope of growth, it’s a plan for growth that’s carefully thought through over four years with the partners in investment and in business that we hope to be working with.
“It means taking the tough decisions on infrastructure, on planning, on skills, on industrial strategy, in making sure that we’ve got the right qualifications coming out of our schools and that we’ve got out waiting lists down so our economy will build.
“That is a concrete plan for growth and I am confident we can deliver on that plan and make sure that we are moving forward as a country.”
Speaking on the campaign trail in Cheshire, he also told David he hasn’t yet given any thought to what life will be like if he becomes the next Prime Minister.
He said: “We take each day as it comes, we cross each bridge when we get to it.
“The polls don’t predict the future, there are many constituencies where there are really close fights going on and we need to just carry on, focused and disciplined.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub