Keir Starmer to unveil six point Blair-style plan in first election pitch to voters

16 May 2024, 00:06 | Updated: 16 May 2024, 00:16

By Natasha Clark

@NatashaC

Keir Starmer will reveal a six-point Tony Blair-style pledge card to millions of voters today as he promises to put the NHS, economy and immigration at the heart of his election campaign.

In what is likely to form the key pillars of the party manifesto, the Labour boss will reveal a new poster blitz dubbed ‘Labour’s First Steps’ in several key battlegrounds.

Kickstarting the next phase of the election campaign, the party will launch an advertising campaign at a major event in Essex today, with Presidential-style posters across billboards, newspapers and vans.

It will be their biggest advertising blitz since the last general election in 2019, focusing on swing seats the party needs to secure to gain power.

Campaign chiefs will dish out the first of their 1997-style pledge cards with his top priorities on – putting more flesh on the bones of his top priorities.

The five national ‘missions’ will be boiled down into six top promises – delivering economic security, cutting NHS waiting times, a new border security command, set up a nationalised energy company, crack down on anti social behaviours, and recruit 6,500 new teachers.

They will form the first things the party will do if Labour wins the keys to power at the upcoming election.

A separate Welsh and Scottish offer will be pumped out to voters in the coming weeks.

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Labour insiders said the party wanted to capitalise on the success of the local elections where the party secured hundreds more seats and won metro mayor seats across the country.

A spokesperson said: “We don’t want to take our foot off the gas. This is our offer to voters, the downpayment on change the public will see, which will make a real difference to people.

“We are back in the service of the British people with these six key priorities for voters.”

Sir Keir told members of his shadow cabinet yesterday the next phase of their path to power is “crucially important”, adding: “It’s where we work tirelessly to give people back a belief in change, by showing the real difference a Labour government can make to their lives.”

He said they were “part of a long term plan to get Britain back on its feet”, promising a gimmick-free, fully costed and funded plan for te country.

Sir Keir said: “People want someone to get a grip – get things done and start to get Britain back on its feet.”

Labour insiders hit back accusations they were downgrading promises on workers rights, housing and the environment.