By The Guardian (World News) | Created at 2024-09-25 07:55:13 | Updated at 2024-09-30 15:23:45
5 days ago
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Keir Starmer says 'the last government' should apologise for 'leaving a hole of £22bn'
Good morning. Keir Starmer is in New York, where he will be addressing the United Nations general assembly (UNGA) later, but the Labour party conference still has half a day to go in Liverpool. Starmer gave a series of media interviews before he left and they are playing out this morning. Speaking to Susanna Reid for ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he refused four time to apologise to pensioners for the cut in winter fuel payments. Delegates will debate the decision at the conference this morning, and they are expected to support a motion championed by the Unite union condemning the decision.
On ITV Starmer was asked if he would apologise to a pensioner like Chrissy, who has arthritis and who told the programme she was dreading winter because her fuel bills would go up by £40 a month, and she would lose the winter fuel payment. Starmer dodged the question, and instead said:
Well, I am really concerned that we’ve been put in this position. When you inherit an economy with £22bn missing, it is a really difficult set of choices.
But Reid persisted, and by question three and four, Starmer was saying it was the Tories who should apologise. He said:
The people who should be saying sorry are the last government who left a hole of £22bn, and they should be sorry for that and they should apologise for that.
I will post more from Starmer’s interviews soon.
Here is the agenda for the day.
10am: Wes Streeting, the health secretary, is speaking at the Labour conference.
10.45am: Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, is speaking at the conference.
10.55am: Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, delivers her speech.
11.45am: Ellie Reeves, the Cabinet Office minister, wraps up the conference.
5pm (UK time): Keir Starmer is due to speak at the UN security council.
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