Sir Keir Starmer brushes aside attacks on Labour as ‘water off a duck’s back’ in first conference speech as PM

24 September 2024, 14:37 | Updated: 24 September 2024, 14:43

The Prime Minister has hit back at criticism levelled at the Labour Party in recent weeks calling attacks ‘water off a duck’s back’.

In a major speech at the Labour conference today, Sir Keir Starmer criticised people who "still hanker" for the "weak and cowardly fantasy of populism”.

He said: “The bad faith advice from people who still hanker after the politics of the people before me, the weak and tawdry fantasy of populism, it’s water off a duck’s back. Mere glitter on a shirt cuff.”

The remark was a reference to his speech last year where he was showered with glitter on stage by a protester.

"It's never distracted me before, and it won't distract me now," he said.

In recent days the Labour Party has been engulfed in a ‘freebie’ row. It emerged he has received more free gifts and hospitality than any other MP since 2019, benefitting from £107,145 in freebies.

It emerged Sir Keir had received £40,000 in free football tickets since 2019, while the Labour peer Lord Alli gave him “work clothing” worth £16,200. It also emerged that Lord Alli had paid for clothes bought by the Prime Minister’s wife.

In his speech today Sir Keir continued: “Politics can be on the side of good, politics can be on the side of truth and justice, politics can secure a better life for your family through the steady and uncompromising work of service.

“Because service is responsibility and opportunity for all. The preconditon for hope. The bond of respect that can unite a country, bind us to the politics of national renewal. Service doesn’t mean you get everything you want. It doesn’t mean everyone will agree.

“But it does mean we understand that every decision we take, we take together, and that it is our duty for the British people to face up to necessary decisions in their interests.”

In his speech, he promised to build "a Britain that works for you".

He said: "Brick by brick, we can build a new home, a better home, built to last, built with pride, but above all, built together.

"A nation rebalanced so it once again serves the interests of working people, and through the power unleashed by that process, a renewal of who we are.

"A country that gives equal voice to every person, a country that won't expect you to change who you are just to get on, a country that doesn't just work for you and your family, but one that recognises you, sees you, respects you as part of a story - a Britain that belongs to you."

Labour is facing internal anger over the party’s decision to means-test winter fuel payments - meaning around 10m pensioners are likely to lose out.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in her speech on Monday that the economic "road ahead is steeper than harder than expected".

She braced millions of people for "a budget to fix the foundations. A budget to deliver the change we promised. A budget to rebuild Britain".

“We said we would not increase taxes on working people, which is why we will not increase the basic higher or additional rates of income tax, national insurance or VAT," she said.

However a grab on capital gains tax and inheritance taxes are both expected, as is a raid on pensions relief.

“I made the decision to means-test the winter fuel payment so it is only targeted at those the most in need,” she said.

“I know not everyone in this hall or the country will agree with every decision I make but I will not duck those decisions. Not for political expediency. Not for personal advantage.

“Faced with that £22 billion black hole and that triple lock … I judged it the right decision in the circumstances that we inherited. I did not take those decisions lightly.”

Under her plans, 10m pensioners will lose their winter fuel payments.

She repeatedly blamed Tory "recklessness" for the tough decisions coming in the October 30 Budget.