Sir Keir Starmer was in Liverpool today and said his party will come back to the city for its conference in September to show why they are ready for government.
The Labour leader used his visit to Liverpool today to set out how he will fight the next General Election on the issue of the economy, promising to create economic growth that will help people right across the country.
He sat down with the ECHO today to discuss a range of topics, including giving his response to the anger and criticism he received when he decided to write for the S*n newspaper last year. We also asked whether his vision for the country is radical enough to tackle the challenges people are facing and spoke about the current problems facing Liverpool City Council.
Hillsborough Law and writing for The S*n
It was during the first of the Labour leadership hustings in Liverpool in January 2020 when Mr Starmer told the gathered audience that he was aware of the pain that had been caused by the lies spread by The S*n newspaper about the Liverpool fans who died at Hillsborough and said he would not give an interview to the newspaper during the leadership campaign.
There was widespread anger in the city when he wrote an opinion piece for the newspaper last year as leader of the party - with a number of Merseyside Labour MPs expressing their unhappiness.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer in Liverpool to promise 'growth' but won't commit to public ownership
During his visit to Liverpool today, Mr Starmer paid tributes at the Hillsborough memorial at Anfield and met with campaigner Margaret Aspinall, whose son James was amongst the victims of the tragedy and he committed that an incoming Labour government would back the movement for a Hillsborough Law, which would include the creation of a legal duty of candour for public officials and making greater resources available to survivors and bereaved relatives in the aftermath of a disaster.
Asked about that meeting and his decision to write for the newspaper, Mr Starmer said: "I've known Margaret for a number of years, we were working together back in 2018 on what we should do about the criminal trials that were coming up. I know everything that she's been through and through her, what other families and the whole of the city of Liverpool have been through.
"We had a private meeting and I won't divulge what we talked about, but I knew what she would think. My history with the Hillsborough families goes back 10 years to when I was Director of Public Prosecutions, The independent panel had just finished its work and there was an important decision to make about whether criminal trials or an inquest should come first. I was part of that decision making group and I said I wouldn't make a decision until I'd spoken with some of the families.
"I knew how deep the injustice was, I went to the memorial today and just looked at the names - and the ages - of all those that lost their lives, then the injustice that followed that, which were perpetrated by the S*n and others and beyond that, the inability of our state institutions to put right what had gone wrong. So I do understand it very, very deeply - I'm not new to the impact that had on the families and the city as a whole.
Pushed on the decision he made, the Labour leader added: "But I am leader of the opposition, I want to form the next government and I actually think that only be being in power can we actually put right some of these injustices that have been going on, including a Hillsborough Law. But as leader of the opposition I have to reach as many people as possible, whether that's through the S*n or any other newspaper or media outlet.
"But nobody should think for a moment that I don't understand what the families or the city of Liverpool have been through in relation to that injustice. It is quite possible to understand the impact that Hillsborough has had on the families and the whole of Liverpool - but at the same time make sure that Labour's message is carried to as many people as possible in order for us to win the next General Election."
Policies
One of the criticisms Keir Starmer has faced during his time as opposition leader concerns his policy agenda and vision for the country. He has appeared to move away from commitments he made during the leadership election to nationalise key services like energy and water - although today he clarified that Labour does still support rail nationalisation. But what about the charge that his vision and his agenda just isn't radical enough to tackle the huge problems that the country faces?
Responding, the Labour leader said: "Let me take on the challenge of us not being radical. At last year's conference we introduced an employment rights bill, which means day 1 employment rights and is stronger than anything we've ever seen from Labour. We brought in housing proposals that mean local people would get first dibs on housing and not foreign investors. We also made a massive pledge on climate change, pledging £28bn a year, the biggest pledge we've made in opposition to tackle the biggest issue we face.
"Today I've set out my vision and a complete commitment to the economy, so we can rebuild our public finances in a way that ensures the whole of the country is part of that. Those decisions shouldn't be made in Whitehall, with a pot of money that places like Liverpool have to bid for, and somebody in Whitehall decides on. I want people in Liverpool to own that economic growth and make decisions here. Nobody knows what's good for Liverpool better than the people of Liverpool and I want to devolve more to them."
Sir Keir said he doesn't accept that Labour has put nothing bold on the table, adding: "Nor do I accept the argument that the only test of bold is whether or not you nationalise energy, water etc. Rail is different to the others as it is effectively in public ownership already and we are committed to that.
He added: "On the other things, I'm pragmatic, not ideological. We've been through a pandemic, we've got to have clear fiscal rules and I've got to be clear about the priorities for an incoming Labour government, because we can't do everything. I don't think anyone who looks at the plans, proposals and policies we have put on the table would say that isn't possible of changing lives for people in Britain - I think it is, I think it does and we need to make sure we win that next General Election now."
Liverpool conference and plan for government
Speaking of that policy agenda, the Labour leader said there will be more to come as the party brings its showpiece annual conference to Liverpool in September. He said he wants the event to show people that this is a party ready for government.
He told the ECHO: "I want to make sure that the conference in Liverpool is when I set out what the plan is for the country. We've had 12 years of stagnation, 12 years of failed Tory governments, we've got this circus of a leadership election going on. The change we need is a change of government and the conference in Liverpool is my chance to set that out. We've done a lot of change in the party, now in Liverpool is a chance for us to bring it all together and set out our plan for government."
He added: "I am absolutely determined that an incoming Labour government will help support people in Liverpool, not just through a Hillsborough Law but in many other ways. In Liverpool like in so many places, we have seen stagnant wages, declining public services - the amount of money that's been taken out of Liverpool in cuts is eye watering, it's staggering in terms of what it has done to Liverpool and we have to turn that around, the only way to do that is to have a Labour government and my job is to make sure our message about change, about what a progressive Labour government will do is heard by as many people as possible."
Forde Report
We also asked for the Labour leader's response to the publication of the long-awaited Forde Report into allegations of bullying, racism and sexism within the Labour Party. Mr Starmer commissioned the report, which was carried out by Martin Forde QC, in the wake of a leak of a document containing private Whatsapp messages, including some Labour staff members expressing huge hostility to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and some MPs.
Released last week, the report detailed 'toxicity on both sides' of the party at the time, while spelling out the 'deplorably factional, insensitive and at times discriminatory attitudes' of senior Labour staff.
Responding today, Mr Starmer said: "I'm glad it's been published, it was published within an hour of me seeing it. It obviously reflects how the party was under Jeremy Corbyn. I knew without waiting for the report that we needed to make changes and a lot of the changes we've made in the last two years are because I understood what the problem was that has now been laid bare in the Ford Report.
"But I have to say, the focus of the Labour Party in 2022 is not to argue about what happened under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, it is to win a General Election. For our members, supporters, that is the central most important issue. The Labour Party was formed to win General Elections on behalf of working people and that's where my focus is."
Liverpool Council
The Labour leader is all too aware of the issues facing Liverpool's Labour-run council at present. The troubled city council currently has government commissioners overseeing key departments following last year's devastating inspection report and multiple high profile arrests.
The council has just lost its chief executive in Tony Reeves and is awaiting an imminent progress report from the commissioners that could see a wider government intervention. Mr Starmer said: "I want what's best for the people of Liverpool. I have to acknowledge things have gone wrong, it would be wrong not to.
"We are hopefully now moving forward - I want what's best for people here, I also want a Labour government that can twin with councils like Liverpool and form much stronger partnerships. But I'm not going to pretend things haven't happened here that shouldn't have.
He added: "My focus is on ensuring that what needs to be fixed is fixed for the people of Liverpool, because I want this city to thrive and I think there is huge potential here but we need a Labour government that is committed to Liverpool and working with its council and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram who is doing a fantastic job here."
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