Keir Starmer told pensioners they are “better off” under Labour despite his “tough decision” to axe winter fuel payments for 10 million.
In a conference speech branded a “platitudinous word soup” by critics, the Prime Minister insisted he “gets” concerns about the decision but insisted the triple lock means the state pension will keep rising.
In a stark warning to the public, Sir Keir warned they will have to put up with prisons and pylons on their doorsteps if they want criminals locked up and cheaper electricity.
But he faced mockery on social media after making an embarrassing gaffe where he mixed up the word “hostages” with “sausages” when talking about Gaza.
Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch said: “Keir Starmer’s first Labour Party conference speech as Prime Minister will mostly be remembered for him calling for the return of the sausages.
“He should be pleased that the commentary will focus on this, as the rest of the speech was a platitudinous word soup read out by an emperor naked without his free clothes.”
Sir Keir told the conference in Liverpool that “many of the decisions we must take will be unpopular” but claimed the burden would be “shared fairly”.
He insisted there would be no return to austerity and said public services would be rebuilt in a “Labour way”.
“That is a promise and if you can’t take that on faith, perhaps because you’re concerned about the winter fuel allowance, then I get that,“ he added.
„As I say, if this path were popular or easy we would have walked it already.
“But the risk of showing to the world – as the Tories did – that this country does not fund its policies properly, that is a risk we can never take again.
Stabilising our economy is the first step of this long-term plan.
“The only way we keep prices low, cut NHS waiting lists, and secure the triple lock so that every pensioner in this country – every pensioner – will be better off with Labour.”
Reacting to the claim, pensioner Angela Maskell, from East Sussex, said: „Better for pensioners? Don’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth. If he means the state pension increases, some of us would have popped our clogs for being too cold by 2025!“
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “There is no doubt that Britain is better off under a Labour government and the speech showed serious intent.
“However, the fact is that the cut to the winter fuel allowance was not reversed and investment for jobs in the future is not clear. We still have some way to go for a plan for Britain.”
During the 54 minute speech, Sir Keir announced plans to prioritise army veterans for housing in a “homes for heroes” programme that will allow them to register anywhere in the country. Current rules require a local link, something that prevents many leaving the forces from finding somewhere to live.
But Sir Keir warned the public there are “trade offs” ahead if they want the country to change.
He said: “As we take on those massive challenges the Tories ignored, the time is long overdue for politicians to level with you about the trade-offs this country faces.
“Because if the last few years have shown us anything, it’s that if you bury your head because things are difficult, your country goes backwards.
“So if we want justice to be served some communities must live close to new prisons.
If we want to maintain support for the welfare state, then we will legislate to stop benefit fraud. Do everything we can to tackle worklessness.
“If we want cheaper electricity, we need new pylons overground otherwise the burden on taxpayers is too much.
“If we want home ownership to be a credible aspiration for our children, then every community has a duty to contribute to that purpose.
“If we want to tackle illegal migration seriously, we can’t pretend there’s a magical process that allows you to return people here unlawfully without accepting that process will also grant some people asylum.”
Conservative leadership frontrunner Robert Jenrick said: “This was the speech of a Prime Minister at the end of his five-year term, not three months in. Sir Keir is already a busted flush – a Mr Grey, with a dour plan for the UK.
“Behind all the rhetoric there was no substance. How can Starmer have no plan to grow the economy, reform the NHS or control and reduce immigration after 14 years? It appears he is too distracted with sleaze, infighting and chaos in Downing Street.”
Tory rival James Cleverly said: “The Labour Party has had years to prepare for government; Keir Starmer’s speech shows those years were wasted.
“He talked about the mandate he won but he doesn’t have a mandate to strip millions of pensioners of their winter fuel payments, hike up taxes for hard working families, and introduce nanny-state policies that will destroy local communities and businesses.
“Keir Starmer won’t match our commitment to defence spending; he doesn’t have a plan to safeguard our borders; and his latest sleaze row has exposed him as a hypocrite.
„The only thing that hard working people can be sure of is that this Labour government will take their money so they can give it to their Union paymasters.”
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers‘ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will receive little joy from a speech that sounded more like a protracted shopping list for ever more public spending than a platform for genuine change and reform.
“Starmer claims that he is building a Britain that belongs to the people but in reality he tapping up taxpayers to pay for the priorities of backroom bureaucrats, relentless regulators and prying public health lobbyists.
“If the prime minister wants to deliver meaningful change for the British people, he should remember that for many millions, it’s government that is the problem, not the solution.”