Keir Starmer attempted to justify a string of policy U-turns on everything from business rates to the mandatory digital ID, claiming the Labour government was “turning the country around”.
In an awkward Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, opposition leader Kemi Badenoch grilled Starmer on recent U-turns, which prove tricky for MPs and strategists to explain ahead of crucial local elections in May where Starmer is under pressure to shore up Labour’s support in the polls.
Badenoch said Starmer looked “clueless”, accusing him of “hanging Labour MPs out to dry” after they’ve either challenged the government in policy decisions or defend them in awkward public appearances.
She referred to comments made by health secretary Wes Streeting that the government had to get policies “right the first time” in a nod to a rift between the two key Labour figures amid questions about Starmer’s leadership.
Starmer responded to the Tory leader’s attack with a risqué joke about the Conservative Party’s record in government.
“They had more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra. No wonder they’re knackered – and they left the country screwed.”
When asked whether he would apologise to farmers who sold land or businesses before an inheritance tax U-turn was announced, the Prime Minister doubled down on attacks against opposition benches while defending Labour’s own approach to governance.
“What we are doing is turning the country around,” Starmer said.
“We have changed the failed approach of the last Tory government.”
He added: “I don’t know which is more pitiful: the flood of former Tory MPs deserting her sinking ship or the Reform party so desperate to launder any old desperate failed Tory politician.”
Starmer’s digital ID U-turn
The latest exchange in the House of Commons came as the government appeared to water down the terms of a digital ID rollout across the country, with the new scheme no longer to be made mandatory for all people in the UK.
Starmer insisted that right to work checks would be compulsory and digital. However, other forms of identification beyond the digital ID, which will cost £1.8bn to build, will be able to be used for checks.
Badenoch said mandatory ID was a “rubbish policy” while the Tony Blair Institute, which has long-backed the idea, said the U-turn was a change in “approach” rather than “direction”.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the scope of use for the digital ID was “yet to be decided” pending consultations to be opened in coming months but there is a belief that substantial savings across public services could be made through the programme.
The government did not offer a full figure for the estimated savings from the ID.
Pubs and hospitality industry businesses are still also waiting to hear full facts on “temporary support” to be offered by the Treasury in a climbdown of its business rates announcement made at the Budget.
Badenoch said the Tories would not have the same issue around business rates given a pledge to scrap the tax for small businesses.