Today, Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke at the world-famous Pinewood Film Studios in his most significant political speech since Labour Conference. The Government are keen to stress that this is not a reset, but rather a way of sharpening minds across Whitehall and reminding the country that they are focused on delivery and setting a clear direction for the country.
The build-up to the speech concentrated heavily on crime, with promises to provide every neighbourhood with a named police contact and tackle antisocial behaviour. But Starmer’s address went far beyond law and order, offering a broader update on the evolution of his five national missions first introduced almost two years ago when he was Leader of the Opposition.
Starmer was resolute about his commitment to “sticking to the plan,” setting out ambitious, measurable targets. He made it clear these milestones are not designed to make the Government look good but to push boundaries and invite public scrutiny. As he put it, “challenging but essential” is the ethos behind these commitments.
For businesses, the Prime Minister’s focus on artificial intelligence stood out. He described AI as a transformative opportunity for the UK, urging the nation to harness its potential. Collaboration was a central theme, with Starmer highlighting the importance of partnerships with businesses, investors, and organisations to drive innovation and progress. His nod towards a deeper embrace of public-private partnerships was hard to miss, suggesting a more integrated role for the private sector in delivering public outcomes.
Starmer also didn’t shy away from addressing his deep frustrations with Whitehall, criticising a culture he described as lacking ambition and initiative. At times pointed, he called for a shift to forward-thinking, solution-driven governance, making it clear that civil servants need to step up and align with his Government’s agenda. These remarks, likely to raise eyebrows, reenforced a determination to cut through bureaucracy and refocus the government on results.
Housing once again took centre stage, with Starmer reaffirming his ambitious pledge to build 1.5 million new homes. Acknowledging the scale of the challenge, he stressed that these are intentionally demanding targets. Similarly, he committed to delivering 150 major infrastructure projects within this parliamentary term, emphasising the urgency of showing progress in tangible ways.
In a direct challenge to those who might obstruct development, Starmer delivered a thumping one-liner, addressing nimbys, blockers, regulators, and bureaucrats—the so-called “alliance of naysayers”—with the declaration, “You no longer have the upper hand. Britain says yes.”
Lobby journalists focused their questions on two key areas. The first was immigration, which, although described as foundational to Starmer’s broader plan— and integral to national security alongside defence – did not get its own milestone target. Perhaps showing that Labour have learnt lessons from previous Conservative Prime Ministers who have placed targets on immigration figures but failed to deliver.
The second concerned clean energy, with questions about the Government’s apparent adjustment to a 95 per cent target instead of the 100 per cent promised in Labour’s manifesto. Starmer was firm, insisting there had been no change in policy, reiterating continuity in his approach.
The speech acted as a clarion call for the Government’s priorities heading into 2025. Delivered in December, the final weeks before people invariably start winding down for Christmas, it carried the tone of a New Year’s address, brought forward to remind the country of its direction before the seasonal lull. Much of this we have heard before – the language, the case studies, the ambitions, but the difference here was a piercing signal to Whitehall and beyond: the plan is set, and the pace of delivery is about to accelerate, and you better get onboard.
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