Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has attacked “grotesque chaos” surrounding Liz Truss after the sacking of Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor.
Liz Truss ‘clinging to power’ amid ‘grotesque chaos’ of Kwarteng sacking, Starmer says
Sir Keir said there was “no historical precedent” for the current situation facing Ms Truss and her Government
“When their policies ran against the rocks of reality, they took decisive action.
“But this lot, they didn’t just tank the British economy, they also clung on as they made the pound sink. Clung on as they took our pensions to the brink of collapse.
“Clung on as they pushed the mortgages and bills of the British public through the roof.
“They did all of this – all the pain our country faces now is down to them.”
He accused Ms Truss of clinging to power amid the most serious crisis to hit her still-new administration yet.
“There is still one person clinging on, the prime minister,” Sir Keir said in a speech in Barnsley.
“No doubt we will hear plenty of laughable excuses in the coming days. After 12 years of stagnation, that’s all her party has left but even they know she can’t fix the mess she has created.
“And deep down, her MPs know something else. They no longer have a mandate from the British people.”
But Sir Keir also had a sobering message for his own party as the Government attempts to rebuild credibility ahead of the next election with new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
“It won’t be easy,” he said. “I would love to stand here and say to you that Labour will fix everything. But the damage that they’ve done to our finances and public services means things are going to be really tough.
“We can’t take irresponsible risks with the country’s finances. We must be the party of sound money. You can’t build a fairer, greener Britain without first restoring economic stability.”
Speaking on Friday, Liz Truss announced the Government would go ahead with the planned rise to corporation tax after previously vowing to reverse the decision.
Despite questions over her position, she refused calls to resign and remained steadfast in the belief that her economic plan would deliver growth.
“It is clear that parts of our mini-budget went further and faster than markets were expecting, so the way we are delivering our mission right now has to change,” she said.
“We will do whatever is necessary to ensure debt is falling as a share of the economy in the medium term.”
Despite claiming the administration had made mistakes, new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said the prime minister’s overall pursuit for growth was correct on Saturday.
He did add, however, there will be “difficult decisions” ahead on tax and spending.
Liz Truss ‘clinging to power’ amid ‘grotesque chaos’ of Kwarteng sacking, Starmer says
Sir Keir said there was “no historical precedent” for the current situation facing Ms Truss and her Government
Giving a speech in Barnsley after a day of upheaval in Westminster, Sir Keir said the damage caused by last month’s mini-Budget was "unprecedented" as he repeated calls for a general election.
He pointed to the "grotesque chaos of a Tory prime minister handing out redundancy notices to her own chancellor" as he accused Ms Truss of putting “party first and country second”.
Sir Keir said there was “no historical precedent” for the current situation facing Ms Truss and her Government.
The Labour leader said: “There are no historical precedents for what they have done to our economy. Britain has faced financial crises before but the prime ministers and chancellors who wrestled with them all acted fast.
He pointed to the "grotesque chaos of a Tory prime minister handing out redundancy notices to her own chancellor" as he accused Ms Truss of putting “party first and country second”.
Sir Keir said there was “no historical precedent” for the current situation facing Ms Truss and her Government.
The Labour leader said: “There are no historical precedents for what they have done to our economy. Britain has faced financial crises before but the prime ministers and chancellors who wrestled with them all acted fast.
“When their policies ran against the rocks of reality, they took decisive action.
“But this lot, they didn’t just tank the British economy, they also clung on as they made the pound sink. Clung on as they took our pensions to the brink of collapse.
“Clung on as they pushed the mortgages and bills of the British public through the roof.
“They did all of this – all the pain our country faces now is down to them.”
He accused Ms Truss of clinging to power amid the most serious crisis to hit her still-new administration yet.
“There is still one person clinging on, the prime minister,” Sir Keir said in a speech in Barnsley.
“No doubt we will hear plenty of laughable excuses in the coming days. After 12 years of stagnation, that’s all her party has left but even they know she can’t fix the mess she has created.
“And deep down, her MPs know something else. They no longer have a mandate from the British people.”
But Sir Keir also had a sobering message for his own party as the Government attempts to rebuild credibility ahead of the next election with new Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
“It won’t be easy,” he said. “I would love to stand here and say to you that Labour will fix everything. But the damage that they’ve done to our finances and public services means things are going to be really tough.
“We can’t take irresponsible risks with the country’s finances. We must be the party of sound money. You can’t build a fairer, greener Britain without first restoring economic stability.”
Speaking on Friday, Liz Truss announced the Government would go ahead with the planned rise to corporation tax after previously vowing to reverse the decision.
Despite questions over her position, she refused calls to resign and remained steadfast in the belief that her economic plan would deliver growth.
“It is clear that parts of our mini-budget went further and faster than markets were expecting, so the way we are delivering our mission right now has to change,” she said.
“We will do whatever is necessary to ensure debt is falling as a share of the economy in the medium term.”
Despite claiming the administration had made mistakes, new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said the prime minister’s overall pursuit for growth was correct on Saturday.
He did add, however, there will be “difficult decisions” ahead on tax and spending.
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