Starmer’s mission to improve living standards is ambitious but lacks policies to back them up

Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of the New Economics Foundation, said:

“It’s good to see this young government’s focus has seemingly shifted from bluntly growing the economy to improving people’s living standards. Unless economic growth delivers material benefits for more of us, Starmer risks suffering the same fate as US President Biden.

“Starmer has said he is ambitious. But right now, he won’t be able to deliver on his ambition with being bolder on three key fronts: tackling spiralling inequality, serious investment in our vandalised public services, and devolving economic power to people and communities.

“This government is trying to create big improvements with one hand tied behind its back. Boosting our living standards and creating a green economy will not happen without scrapping our arbitrary fiscal rules, borrowing wisely, and taxing the wealthiest. This government needs to take immediate action to raise people’s living standards through policies like scrapping the two-child limit, lowering bus fares, and introducing a national energy guarantee to keep bills down.”

Notes

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