Sir Keir Starmer: 'Levelling-up with Labour or more chaos with Tories'

His commitment comes only a month after the party distanced itself from the phrasing used in the Conservatives’ flagship policy to address regional inequality, something Labour says the Tories have failed to deliver.

Last month the Labour Party said it would address regional inequality on its own terms, “because of the failure of the government’s policy when it comes to levelling up.” However, in a campaign speech yesterday in West Sussex, near where he grew up, Sir Keir appeared to commit his party to delivering the plan.

A cross-party Parliamentary committee reported in March that only 10 per cent of funding promised to reduce inequality as part of the levelling up agenda had actually been spent.

“Levelling Up”, the plan to address regional inequality in the UK, was a key part of the 2019 Conservative manifesto, however plans from Rishi Sunak to reintroduce national service if his party wins the election, funded by cuts to levelling up monies have been strongly criticised. Paying for it would equate to nearly £175m of funding cuts across Yorkshire.

Referring to the national service plan as “Teenage Dad’s Army,” the Labour leader said the policy was formed out of “desperation”, and that taking funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to pay for it, left voters with a “clear choice”.

“Levelling-up and the NHS with Labour or more desperate chaos with the Tories. That is the choice,” he said.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak answered questions about the national service scheme on the Conservative Party’s TikTok account yesterday, despite the app being banned from official government devices due to security concerns.

He said those who volunteered to join the Army would receive a stipend “to help with living costs”, while also pledging to ensure organisations who accept volunteers “have funding for training and administration.”

Later he told reporters in Buckinghamshire: “This modern form of national service will mean that young people get the skills and the opportunities that they need which is going to serve them very well in life.

“It’s going to foster a culture of service which is going to be incredibly powerful for making our society more cohesive and in a more uncertain and dangerous world it’s going to strengthen our country’s security and resilience.

“For all these reasons I think this is absolutely the right thing to do. Yes, it is bold, but that’s the kind of leadership I offer.”

In his speech, Sir Keir also accused the Conservatives of damaging trust in politics and public institutions, leading to a “crisis” in “who we are as a nation.”

He said: “For a long time now, working people have believed opportunity in Britain is stacked against them.

“But now we are at a dangerous new point, close to crossing a Rubicon of trust, not just in politics but in many of the institutions that are meant to serve and protect the British people.

“A moment where people no longer believe their values or interests carry the respect of those in power.”