Labour would run ‘patriotic economy’, Starmer says on Shropshire visit
Sir Keir Starmer talked up Labour's housing pledges on a visit to Shropshire, promising his party would deliver a "future built in Britain, by Britain, for Britain" if it wins power.
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During Monday's visit The Lilies at Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, the Labour leader said he would run a "patriotic economy" including plans to boost home ownership and establish the "next generation" of new towns.
Sir Keir was joined by deputy leader Angela Rayner on a trip to a housing development in Shrewsbury, where he argued the "core British value of working hard and getting on has been corroded" after 14 years of Tory government.
Ahead of the visit, he said: "Britain's workers and Britain's interests have been failed. Living standards have plummeted, as has the traditional British belief that if you work hard, it pays. For too many people a higher wage is beyond reach and buying a home has become a fantasy.
"My mum and dad enjoyed the stability of a home they owned and a faith that their kids would have more opportunity than they did. It wasn't just them, its engrained in the British psyche - you work hard, you can get on. Work will pay. Life will give you chances.
"The Conservative Party's economic choices run completely against those values. Meanwhile, their promises on levelling up are empty. The Tories aren't just betting the house, they're betting yours.
"It's time for change. My Labour government will be different. We'll run a patriotic economy where Britain's interest is centre stage and Britain's hardworking families reap the rewards."
The party's new framing of its economic vision comes after it faced criticism for abandoning the £28 billion-a-year spending pledge tied to its flagship green prosperity plan.
Environmental groups, trade union allies and energy industry figures expressed disappointment at the U-turn - while the Tories have continued to attack Labour's fiscal credibility.
Sir Keir has said the decision was about being "straight" with voters on the challenges presented by "the damage the Tories have done" to the economy since the pledge was announced in 2021.
