Sir Keir Starmer has suggested the new Labour Government is “finding new and unexpected” problems that it blames on 14 years of Conservative rule.
The Prime Minister pointed to the decision to release thousands of prisoners earlier than planned in a bid to free up prison spaces, the state of the country’s rivers and seas, and the funding crisis facing councils.
He said the “rot of 14 years” will take time to repair as he insisted the job of national renewal is “not a quick fix”.
After largely warm exchanges in the Commons to consider Labour’s first legislative programme since winning the General Election, Sir Keir accused the Conservatives of having been “content to let our country’s problems fester” and focus “almost entirely on trying to save their own skins” in their final months in power.
“No more wedge issues, no more gimmicks, no more party political strategy masquerading as policy. This is an agenda focused entirely on delivering for the people of this country.
“Legislation for the national interest that seeks only to fix our foundations and make people better off, solve problems not exploit them.
“Because with each day that passes my Government is finding new and unexpected marks of their chaos, scars of the last 14 years where politics was put above the national interest, decline deep in the marrow of our institutions.
“We’ve seen that in our prisons, writ large. We’ve seen it in our rivers and seas, even worse than we thought.
“And we’ve seen it in our councils, pushed to the brink by the previous Government, now unable to deliver basic services to children with special educational needs.
“We’ve already taken first steps on so many of the priorities that we put before the British people.
“The work of change has begun but we know, as they do, that national renewal is not a quick fix.
“The rot of 14 years will take time to repair.”
He said this was caused by “Tory irresponsibility” and a “ducking of the hard choices”, adding: “We don’t just turn the page on that today, we close the door on it forever.”
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn earlier challenged Sir Keir to end the two-child benefit cap.
In a nod to the newly-announced ministerial taskforce to begin work on the child poverty strategy, Mr Flynn asked: “How many children will remain in poverty whilst that taskforce undertakes the work, which will ultimately lead to the same conclusion that we are proposing – to scrap the two-child benefit cap?”
“It can’t be a single issue, it’s across a number of strands and we will work with people across the House in order to do it.
“What matters is the commitment to do it and to drive those numbers down.”
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak congratulated Sir Keir for his “decisive victory” at the General Election, saying: “The party opposite has successfully tapped into the public’s desire for change, but they must now deliver change, and we on this side of the House will hold them accountable for delivering on the commitments that they made to the British people.
“In the national interest we will not oppose for the sake of it, but when we disagree with the Government it is our responsibility as the Opposition to say so.”
The Conservative Party leader said Labour has inherited an economy which was already on an upward trajectory.
He said: “I understand well that the Chancellor (Rachel Reevees) is keen to paint as bleak a picture as possible, but I would just gently point out that this is not exactly what the facts say.
“Inflation at 2%, unemployment 4%, and the fastest growing economy in the G7 so far this year. The party opposite has inherited an economy that is already on an upward trajectory.”
Mr Sunak also argued that Labour’s planning reforms could leave some people without a say, adding: “A system that does not allow local people to have a say will damage public consent for more housing in the long term.
“And I regret there was no mention of rural communities and farming in the King’s Speech, much like my own, but I hope in time the Government will bring forward proposals.”
