UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has warned of a ‘painful’ October budget, citing a £22 billion ‘black hole’ in public finances inherited from the previous Conservative government. In a speech at Downing Street, Starmer emphasized the need for tough decisions to address the country’s economic challenges, including potential tax increases for the wealthy and spending cuts.Starmer stated, ‘There is a Budget coming in October and it is going to be painful. We have no other choice given the situation we are in’. He promised that ‘those with the broadest shoulders should bear the heavier burden’, while reiterating his pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance, or VAT for working people.In a symbolic move to distance his government from perceived Conservative excess, Starmer has instructed the cancellation of a £40 million VIP helicopter contract, which was heavily used by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. This decision aligns with Starmer’s promise to ‘end the 14-year rot and 10-year decline’.The Prime Minister defended controversial measures such as means-testing winter fuel payments for pensioners, describing it as a ‘tough action’ needed to mend public finances. He also highlighted the need to address issues in the prison system and provide above-inflation pay rises for public sector workers.Starmer contrasted his approach with the previous government’s, criticizing their ‘populism’ and promising to make unpopular decisions for long-term benefits. He stated, ‘We have inherited not only an economic black hole but a social black hole, and that’s why we have to take measures and do things differently’.The opposition Conservative Party has accused Starmer of breaking promises and exaggerating the fiscal situation. However, Starmer remains committed to his strategy, saying, ‘We can get through this together, because the riots didn’t just betray the sickness, they also revealed the cure, found not in the cynical conflict of populism, but in the coming together of a country’.
Key points
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warns of a ‘painful’ October budget due to a £22 billion ‘black hole’ in public finances.
- Starmer plans to cancel a £40 million VIP helicopter contract used by the previous government.
- The Prime Minister defends controversial measures like means-testing winter fuel payments for pensioners.
- Starmer contrasts his approach with the previous government’s, promising to make unpopular decisions for long-term benefits.
Contradictions👾While Starmer warns of a ‘painful’ budget and potential tax increases, he also reiterates his pledge not to raise income tax, national insurance, or VAT for working people, which could be seen as contradictory.
