Slippery Starmer’s many u-turns

by the SNP
Posted on
1 month ago
6 min read

Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour has ditched almost every single policy – and all in a woeful effort to imitate the Tories. Now they’re in government, the backtracking has continued.

It can be hard to keep track of all the u-turns. But thankfully, we’ve done it for you.

Winter Fuel Payments

Starmer’s latest and most damning u-turn came only weeks into his new government.

Labour MPs had previously queued up to attack the Tories over leaving pensioners in the cold – often in punishing winters.

The £1.5 billion cut to the vital benefit will leave ten million pensioners without financial support entering the coldest months of the year.

Even Labour’s own research has suggested that the policy could cost lives.

Brexit

When campaigning to become Labour leader in the spring of 2020, Starmer was still vociferously against the Tories’ disastrous Brexit and pledged to protect the free movement of people.

Only a few months on, he was ditching his opposition to Brexit entirely – and backtracked on the pledge in the Daily Mail.

Starmer has ruled out a return to the single market, the customs union and any other European framework – leaving consumers and businesses stuck with the broken Brexit that is stifling the very economic growth Labour claims to want so badly.

Nationalisation

Another of Starmer’s leadership pledges was to nationalise energy, rail, water and mail.

But in a startling betrayal of Labour members, Starmer then junked many of these pledges, despite them having strong and widespread public support.

Most notably, the new Labour government has failed to get a grip on the scandal of the private companies running water providers in England pumping huge amounts of waste and sewage into natural bodies of water. Far from being just a u-turn, it seems that yet another Westminster government is hoping to sweep the scandal under the carpet.

NHS

The Labour leader also promised to end outsourcing, the practice of creeping private sector involvement of the NHS.

The commitment was soon on life support and Keir Starmer ditched it in 2022.

Labour’s top team are now offering to hold the door “wide open” for the private sector.

Trade Unions

Starmer promised he’d “work shoulder to shoulder with trade unions to stand up for working people.”

By the end of 2022, he’d refused to endorse a higher pay deal and had sacked an MP for joining a picket line.

Universal Credit

Starmer pledged to bin the infamously cruel and punishing Universal Credit system.

But he has since u-turned, with one of Starmer’s top team saying Labour “actually agree[s] with the concept behind Universal Credit.”

His predecessor – Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Keir ran for leader on a progressive platform, calling Jeremy Corbyn a friend.

But Starmer soon expelled Corbyn from the party and cracked down on his supporters.

Not very friendly, is it?

This culminated in a botched attempt to deselect one of his most prominent allies, Diane Abbott, the UK’s first black female MP. A popular Labour figure, the embarrassing move against Abbott came during the general election campaign – raising questions about Starmer’s judgement.

Tuition fees

Free tuition is protected in Scotland by the SNP.

Starmer had promised to extend free tuition before saying Labour was “likely to move on from that commitment”, hanging hardworking students out to dry. Scottish Labour have gone even further, raising the prospect of repealing free tuition in Scotland entirely – a hammer blow to the social mobility young people desperately need.

Only months after taking office, Labour conceded that they would in fact be raising tuition fees once again.

Childcare

In early 2023, Labour disclosed plans for universal childcare in a bid to support families.

Fast forward to less than six months later – the policy was junked and they were briefing “an expansion of childcare to all children is not Labour’s policy.”

Tax

When standing in the Labour leadership election, Starmer promised to increase tax for the top 5% of earners. A fairer economy starts with tax reform.

But this policy was also binned, with Labour deciding to stick with the Tories’ status quo.

Instead, he ruled out taxes on ‘working people’ but is now planning a backdoor national insurance rise.

Labour knew the economic challenges that would face them in government. From the SNP to the IFS, they were repeatedly warned.

House of Lords

The UK’s creaking structure contributes to many of its problems, which is why Starmer’s pledge to scrap the House of Lords was greeted with interest and praise.

This was soon reversed, with Labour saying constitutional change “drains energy”.

Labour have promised to abolish the House of Lords since 1910. At this point, we can only assume they’re taking their voters for fools.

Constitution

Whichever side of the independence debate we’re on, a vast majority of people believe it should be Scotland’s right to decide.

Starmer commissioned Gordon Brown to report on what Labour could do to address the UK constitution. He’s since binned the recommendations and, like the Tories, avoids any discussion on the nature of Scotland’s constitutional future.

The SNP has won multiple mandates for the Scottish Parliament to have the power to put the question to the people again – but Sir Keir thinks has the right to ignore you.

Instead, he has created a ‘Council of Nations and Regions’, where Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are given the same treatment as regions and cities of England. To make it worse, he created an Envoy position to offer to his sacked chief of staff as a consolation prize – who didn’t even bother to turn up to the first meeting of the council last week.

Big Tech

Big tech and online retail rake in huge profits, at the expense of high streets and small businesses.

Labour had planned for a fairer digital services tax – but junked this idea to woo big corporations into backing the party. Putting their interests ahead of the nation’s?

Rent Controls

The SNP has built more council houses than Labour in Wales and the Tories in England. But the UK-wide housing crisis continues to spiral, with young people and renters suffering the most.

Labour had suggested rent controls – proven to work in Scotland. But as they sought to win support from landlords, the pledge was binned – and described as a “sticking plaster.”

Two Child Cap

Labour figures branded the Tories’ two child benefit cap as “heinous”, compared it to the infamous two child policy in China and Starmer personally promised undo it.

But in a cringeworthy interview last year he rowed back on his commitment – with the “inhuman” and “obscene” cap here to stay.

When opposition parties forced a vote in parliament, Starmer even went so far as to suspend seven of his own MPs who voted with the conscience to oppose a policy that is actively pushing children into poverty.

LGBT Rights

Scottish Labour politicians were slapped down for supporting gender recognition reform, despite Starmer himself previously campaigning for it.

He has since u-turned on a variety of LGBT pledges, failing to challenge the Tories’ vicious culture wars.

Wealth

There are a record 171 billionaires in the UK – who would hardly notice a wealth tax.

Labour has u-turned on a wealth tax as it focuses on chasing support and donations from the UK’s richest corporations and individuals.

Gaza Ceasefire

Starmer shocked the country when he suggested Israel had a right to commit war crimes.

He dodged the issue as the death toll rose – only changing his position when foreign secretary and former prime minister Lord Cameron called for a ceasefire.

Arms Sales

Another major foreign policy u-turn came in January. He’d made a pledge to stop the sale of UK arms to Saudi Arabia – which he’s now dropped.

The Saudi war in Yemen has claimed the lives of over 250,000 people.

Bankers Bonuses

Labour had slammed the Tories for lifting the cap on bankers’ bonuses. Thanks to EU rules, it had been capped at 100% of their salary, but is now unlimited.

Less than three months later, Labour had shamelessly signed up to the policy.

£28billion Prosperity Fund

Fighting the climate crisis has never been more important. Labour rightly pledged to spend £28 billion a year on a just transition to a green economy.

After an internal battle, they scrapped the policy – putting party before country.

It’s clear Labour can’t be trusted

Politicians should be judged, more than anyone, on the things they say and their capacity to deliver. Based on his track record, no one can seriously say they trust Sir Keir to stand up for Scotland.

They are already taking you for granted. Scotland needs MPs in Westminster fighting for our interests, not lobby fodder that will bend and buckle at each and every one of Starmer’s u-turns.

Whilst Westminster control of Scotland continues, the SNP will always be the voice in Westminster that Scotland needs – showing Labour how public service should be done.