BBCPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said it is his “job to do something” about leaks coming from government, which this week led to his chief adviser’s salary being made public.
Speaking to the Observer ahead of the Labour Party conference which begins in Liverpool on Sunday, Sir Keir said leaks “damage everybody” and that it was his “responsibility” to solve the problem.
The revelation of chief of staff Sue Gray’s £170,000 salary – more than the PM is paid himself – earlier in the week hinted at tensions within government.
However, Sir Keir struck a celebratory tone in an address to activists on Saturday, saying his government had “achieved more” in 14 weeks then the Tories managed in 14 years – pointing to an end to the junior doctors strike, setting up a national wealth fund and establishing GB Energy.
The bid to strike a note of positivity follows a difficult few weeks for the new government after questions over donations of clothing and gifts, and damaging briefings over the operation in No 10.
Sir Keir, Deputy PM Angela Rayner, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have been criticised for accepting thousands of pounds worth of clothing from donors including Labour peer Waheed Alli – a practice they have now said will stop.
The prime minister is also facing continued criticism over his decision to cut winter fuel payments to 10 million pensioners, with a potential vote on the issue on the conference floor on Monday.
Speaking to the BBC, head of the Unite union Sharon Graham said “it’s a misstep, it’s a mistake” and “it’s a cruel policy and they need to do a U-turn”.
“If you can do a U-turn on one thing, you can do a U-turn on another,” she said in reference to the decision to stop accepting clothing donations.
On the economy, Sir Keir also told the Observer he was “acutely aware that our public services are on their knees” and that some had already been “cut to the bone”.
Separately, he told the Sunday Mirror, that he would not be “going down the road” of austerity – a policy which saw large cuts to the public sector.
Since coming to power, Sir Keir has given a gloomy assessment of the nation’s finances but on Saturday he said he would use his conference speech next week to set out how people would feel better by the time of the next election.
In his address to activists, Sir Keir said he wanted people to “look back with pride at the 2024 Labour government in the way they look at the 1945 one”.
The 1945 Labour government was responsible for many of what the party views as its greatest achievements including setting up the National Health Service.
Sir Keir also joked with his supporters that throwing glitter at him was an offence that now amounted to “treason” – a reference to his last conference speech, which was interrupted by a protester.
And he said that since moving into Downing Street he had been “getting to know” Larry, No 10’s cat, adding: “We both spent 14 years chasing pests out of Downing Street.”
The prime minister also used the day before conference starts to reiterate one of his key policies, speeding up housebuilding.
In a statement, he said: “Housebuilding has stalled and planning changes blocked. The country has been held back.”
He said his government was “turning that on its head” and that the introduction of “planning passports” would “put rocket boosters under housebuilding”.
The government says the passports would mean the “default” response to proposals for urban developments would be yes, if they meet design and quality standards. The measure would first be consulted on before being implemented.
Speaking at the conference on Sunday, Rayner will set out the government’s plans on improving homes for renters including implementing Awaab’s Law to ensure properties are decent, warm and safe.
Ahead of her speech, the deputy prime minister said the government was “committing to raising the bar on the poor standards we’ve inherited from the Tories to ensure homes are fit for the future”.
Sir Keir and Rayner have also held meetings with unions who contribute to the party coffers, amid doubts some have about the green agenda and how policies can fit with the future of traditional industries.
Gary Smith, general secretary of the GMB union, warned the party leadership it must listen to union voices.
“If Labour fails to listen to us on the issues about real jobs in places like oil and gas, and steel, and manufacturing and industry, the difficulty they will have is communities will get hollowed out, people will lose their jobs and the only winners will be the far right in this country.”
Some unions are also known to have concerns about legislation to toughen up workers’ rights, particularly calls for workers’ rights “from day one”.
Minister Lucy Powell confirmed Labour’s manifesto pledge to introduce workers’ rights legislation in the first 100 days of the government would go ahead.
