UK’s Starmer Offers ‘Plan for Change’ in Reset Bid After 150 Days

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil a “plan for change” on Thursday as part of a de facto relaunch of his government, following a challenging start to his premiership. The Labour leader, who took office in July, will outline six “ambitious milestones” on which voters can assess his administration, aiming to overcome several controversies that have overshadowed his first five months in power.

Starmer is expected to emphasize that his government is focused on driving real improvements in the lives of working people, saying: “Mission-led government does not mean picking milestones because they are easy or will happen anyway.” His tenure so far has been marked by unpopularity surrounding decisions like scrapping winter fuel payments for pensioners, maintaining child benefit restrictions, and accepting gifts from wealthy donors. Additionally, internal tensions and the resignation of his chief of staff, Sue Gray, have further tarnished the image of his administration.

Despite these challenges, Starmer will argue that his government is committed to tough but necessary decisions, given the difficult inheritance from the previous Conservative government. Labour accuses the Tories of leaving behind a £22 billion “black hole” in public finances, alongside a struggling National Health Service (NHS) and a failing prison system.

The upcoming speech is seen as a “reset” for Starmer’s leadership. His government has already introduced policies such as the creation of a publicly owned clean energy company, lifting the ban on onshore wind farms, and initiatives to strengthen workers’ rights. Starmer is expected to revise some of the promises made during his election campaign, including dropping the pledge to make the UK the fastest-growing economy in the G7. Instead, he will set new targets aimed at improving living standards.

Key commitments in his speech include setting a target for NHS waiting times, pledging an additional 13,000 police officers to tackle anti-social behavior, and introducing initiatives to grow household incomes and improve early childhood education. This plan reflects Starmer’s focus on practical milestones that voters can evaluate as tangible signs of change.