- Live Reporting (active)
Summary
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his six priorities for government in a key "plan for change" speech
The targets include building 1.5 million homes, fixing the NHS and delivering clean power by 2030
He also pledges higher living standards, safer streets and ensuring a record number of five-year-olds enter school "ready to learn"
Starmer adds that an "almighty challenge" lies ahead for the government to achieve the targets
Analysis: The PM clearly hopes that by articulating these priorities, the state will now be able to prioritise them, writes Henry Zeffman
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch says the plans contain "nothing concrete on immigration", adding that the government "doesn’t know what it is doing"
Will the government be able to hit its new targets? BBC Verify has examined Starmer's goals
Live Reporting
Edited by Francesca Gillett and Marita Moloney, with Chris Mason reporting from Buckinghamshire
A major speech that felt like a manifesto launchpublished at 14:12 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
14:12 GMT 5 December
Francesca Gillett
Live editorSo, five months on from the election, Sir Keir Starmer has set out what he's calling his "plan for change".
The prime minister reiterated the key pledges that formed Labour's manifesto, but also gave new details about how he plans to get there.
We've summarised the six targets here. Starmer says these are the metrics he wants people to judge him against.
As our political editor Chris Mason wrote, it felt like a manifesto launch.
Starmer also took aim at the civil service in the speech. Chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman says the frustration with Whitehall is beginning to spill into public view.
Our colleagues at BBC Verify have looked at the six targets, and how achievable they might be.
We're closing our live coverage now. Thanks for joining us.
Starmer's speech and the reaction - in key pointspublished at 13:53 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:53 GMT 5 December
Neha Gohil
Live reporterThe PM's speech at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire aimed to set out his government’s "plan for change" for Britain. Here's what happened:
- The PM announced six targets on areas such as the economy, policing, the NHS and housebuilding - we've listed them here
- He'd been accused of repeating or watering down pledges he'd set out before - the Tories called today an "emergency reset" after his first few months in office - but Starmer said the purpose of the speech was to set out measurable targets that the public can judge him by
- Among the pledges was a target to raise living standards in every part of the UK - but as our correspondent writes, this is a hard one to measure
- On education, Starmer said a key target was to ensure 75% of five-year-olds in England are "ready to learn" when they start school
- He also pledged to increase neighbourhood police officers by 13,000, and meet the target to get 92% of NHS patients treated within 18 weeks of referral
- Starmer also recommitted to building 1.5 million homes and promised to fast-track planning decisions on 150 major infrastructure projects
- He's faced some criticism from opposition parties for not committing to a target on immigration - but promised to "reduce immigration, legal and illegal”
- Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the speech showed "a government that doesn't know what it is doing"
Let us know what issues really matter to youpublished at 13:45 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:45 GMT 5 December
We're going to close our live coverage soon, but before then we wanted to invite you to get more involved in our journalism and the stories we cover.
As part of Your Voice, Your BBC News, we want to hear what you think we should be reporting on. We want to know what you care about, what issues are affecting you, where you think we should be reporting from, and why.
It could be some of the six targets announced today or beyond - basically, what matters most to you in your lives.
You can get in touch via this link or alternatively, you can email at bbcyourvoice@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp on +44 7980 682727. You can read more about the project here.
Early years target ‘a momentous task’, says education charitypublished at 13:38 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:38 GMT 5 December
Vanessa Clarke
Education reporterEarly years charities and teachers’ unions have broadly welcomedthe target to get more children “school ready” by 2028.
In his speech Keir Starmer said it was a scandal that somechildren were arriving at school “struggling to speak”.
While headteachers are calling for more investment in speech and language therapy, many nurseries are calling for more funding – saying the National Insurance changes in April will seriously challenge theirsustainability.
This does not bode well for all children getting the best start inlife, the National Day Nurseries Association says.
The government is currentlyrolling out funded childcare hours for working parents, and by next September,30 hours will be available per week for children from nine months – a hugeinvestment.
But the Sutton Trust saysthat better off families will receive this and disadvantaged young childrenrisk being increasingly “locked out”, making the target the government has set“a momentous task”.
Head teachers welcome target for five-year-oldspublished at 13:38 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:38 GMT 5 December
Paul Whiteman, who is the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, has welcomed the focus on early childhood education, after Starmer pledged to ensure that 75% of five-year-olds start school "ready to learn".
"School leaders are seeing an increasing number of children arrive at school with speech and language delays," Whiteman says, noting that cuts to support services over the previous decade have had a "devastating effect".
“Early support and high-quality intervention is one of the nearest things we have to a silver bullet when it comes to education policy," he says.
Why only 95% clean power?published at 13:33 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:33 GMT 5 December
By Mark Poynting
Labour’s manifesto stated that “clean energy by 2030 is Labour’s second mission”, pledging a “zero-carbon electricity system”.
Now, the government is defining the target as “at least 95% clean power by 2030”.
This follows a report by the National Energy System Operator, an independent body overseeing the energy transition.
It defined a clean power system as one where polluting gas, without technology to capture emissions, will “provide less than 5% of Great Britain’s generation in a typical weather year”.
Electricity generation from renewables drops during less sunny and less windy periods. Some gas is seen as necessary to fill these gaps.
Many emerging low-carbon technologies, such as battery storage, may be able to do this job in the future, but are still at early stages.
As a result, eliminating the final few percent of gas from the electricity mix by 2030 would be particularly challenging and would likely add to costs.
Shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho has accused the government of watering down its pledge. The previous Conservative administration had also pledged 95% low-carbon electricity by 2030.
Trying to be tougher than Tories on migration is 'dead end' - Abbottpublished at 13:22 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:22 GMT 5 December
Veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott criticises Starmer's comments on migration early on in his speech today.
She says "claiming to be tougher on migration than the Tories is a political dead end for Labour".
Tackling migration was not among the prime minister's six milestones outlined today, but Starmer did mention the topic, saying that he will "reduce immigration - legal and illegal".
Abbott, who is the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, was embroiled in a row with Starmer during the election campaign over whether the party would select her as its candidate in the seat.
Greens: This isn't a gear change and we should tax rich morepublished at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
13:07 GMT 5 December
The Green Party's co-leader, Adrian Ramsay, says today's "listicle" points in the right direction on a handful of issues, but is "not a clear route to change".
"We have a country reeling from severe flooding and facing more stormsthis weekend, a country where people are struggling to heat their homes thiswinter, and a country worried about finding the school places and doctorappointments that those they love need," he says.
"We wanted today to see a gear change in this government wherethey accept that we need to ask the very richest to pay more tax so we couldproperly fund all our frontline public services."
The six targets outlined by Starmerpublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:56 GMT 5 December
Image source, EPAIn case you missed it, here's a summary of the six milestones the PM laid out in his speech today:
- Housing - A target to build 1.5 million homes and fast-track planning decisions on more than 150 more major economic infrastructure projects, which our economics editor says could be politically controversial
- Living standards - He promises higher living standards in every part of the UK, putting more money in working people's pockets and delivering the highest sustained growth in the G7. This could be hard to measure, says our economics correspondent
- Safe streets - He pledged 13,000 more police officers, PCSOs and special constables for the streets. Our home editor says this might not cut crime but could improve trust
- NHS waiting lists - A target to meet the NHS standard for 92% of patients in England to wait no more than 18 weeks for treatment. A big ask, says our health correspondent
- Energy - Starmer promises to "secure home-grown energy" to put the UK on track to deliver at least 95% clean power by 2030, a step towards net zero
- Children - A new pledge, Starmer promises to ensure a record proportion of 75% of five-year-olds start school "ready to learn"
Tories say it's difficult to take pledges seriouslypublished at 12:41 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:41 GMT 5 December
More reaction now from the Tories - after Badenoch earlier criticised Starmer on the lack of an immigration target, as well as his other pledges.
Alex Burghart, who is the shadow chancellor of the Duchy ofLancaster, says: "The latest Labour reset - after only five months - isanother sign that the wheels are off and are bouncing down the street.
"The rate at which this government breaks its promises tobusinesses, pensioners and farmers means it’s very difficult to take thesepledges seriously.
"The government needs to be clear about which ministerswill carry the can when these pledges aren’t met."
These targets 'guarantee economic failure' - Faragepublished at 12:36 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:36 GMT 5 December
Image source, EPAReform UK leader Nigel Farage notes the failure to include immigration in Starmer's six key milestones.
"This reset offers no change and guarantees economic failure," he says on X.
Starmer's NHS mission is a big askpublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:24 GMT 5 December
Nick Triggle
Health CorrespondentImage source, PA MediaThe NHS mission set out by the primeminister is a big ask. It is nearly 10 years since the 18-week hospital waitingtime target was hit in England.
Latest figures show there is along way to go with four in 10 people currently waiting longer than 18 weeks.
The government has already set outplans to increase the number of appointments and operations being done - by40,000 a week.
But in recent years, despite spendingrising, hospitals have struggled to increase activity.
While the prime minister wasspeaking about the long term, it became clear there was a more immediateproblem brewing: getting the NHS through winter.
The first winter performance figuresshow around 95% of beds are full, with ambulances facing long waits droppingtheir patients off - plus rising rates of flu and the vomiting bug norovirusadding to the strain.
NHS England’s medical director sayshospitals have never been busier ahead of Christmas.
Where was the mention of GPs, ask Lib Demspublished at 12:20 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:20 GMT 5 December
The leader of the Liberal Democrats says it is "worrying to see no clear plan" in Sir Keir Starmer's targets to make sure people can see a GP when they need to.
“Pledging to bring down waiting lists while neglecting GPservices is like robbing Peter to pay Paul," Sir Ed Davey says.
“Millions are struggling to get through to their GP orhaving to wait weeks for an appointment, which just piles more pressure on ourhospitals while people go without the care they need.”
Davey vows his party will "hold this government's feet to the fire on keeping its promises" - especially when it comes to the NHS and care.
Q&As end and Starmer leaves stagepublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:16 GMT 5 December
The prime minister has finished taking questions and has left the stage.
Stay with us as we recap on what was just said, and bring you the latest analysis on each policy area.
Starmer's living standards target is not a stretching ambitionpublished at 12:13 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:13 GMT 5 December
Faisal Islam
Economics editorThe Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has already predicted that the measure of living standards identified by the prime minister as his new milestone is already due to be rising by an average of 0.5% per yearin this Parliament or 3.5% overall.
The “plan for change” clarifies thatprogress against this milestone is to be measured “throughhigher Real Household Disposable Income per person and GDP per capita by theend of the Parliament”.
This is not a stretching ambition.
In the decade beforethe pandemic the average rise in this measure was 1%. Even that was slowcompared to a previous norm of 2-3%.
The milestone is supplemented by “tracking” GDP per head atregional and national level, the document says.
Badenoch: This government doesn't know what it's doingpublished at 12:11 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:11 GMT 5 December
While we're listening to Keir Starmer taking questions from journalists, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has reacted to the PM's speech by saying his "emergency reset confirms that Labour had 14 years in opposition and still weren’t ready for government".
Badenoch says the address contains "nothing concrete on immigration", which she says indicates that Labour "have no plan to control numbers".
She goes on to say: "Fastest growth in the G7 in this Parliament dropped - because of the hit to the economy from the Budget.
"Costly plans for energy decarbonisation watered-down - while poor pensioners lose their winter fuel payments.
"And fewer than a third of Labour’s 13,000 neighbourhood police are actually new police officers."
She concludes the post on X by adding, external: "This relaunch can't hide the reality of a government that doesn’t know what it is doing."
Growth is still our number one mission, says PMpublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:10 GMT 5 December
Starmer is asked next about economic growth - the journalist says none of the six targets chosen will drive growth.
Has the government given up on prioritising economic growth?
Starmer pushes back. "They've all got everything to do about growth", he says - saying for example housing is a huge factor in determining growth in both providing projects and allowing people choice to live where they want to work.
He says growth is the "number one mission of this government".
Starmer questioned over clean energy target at 95%published at 12:08 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:08 GMT 5 December
Keir Starmer denies Labour is rowing back on its clean energy target, in reply to a journalist who asks if he's watering down the party's pledge to achieve 100% clean energy by 2030.
The document today only puts that at 95, the journalist says.
Starmer says it's exactly what was promised in the election and it was tough, but it could be done.
"There's no watering down," he claimed, "there's a doubling down".
'Are you watering down your promises?' Starmer says nopublished at 12:06 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:06 GMT 5 December
Starmer is next asked whether he's watering down his promises after realising that government is harder than he might have thought.
He denies this, saying that his previous "missions" were announced two years ago and that he's just reiterating them. They were part of the foundational document in the manifesto, he adds.
"It was the change that people voted for," he says
He says the "milestones" announced today have been set out so that people can measure the government's progress.
"These are, if you'd like, something for the public to use to hold us to account," he says.
Building 1.5 million homes is huge but 'we're going to go for it' - PMpublished at 12:04 Greenwich Mean Time 5 December
12:04 GMT 5 December
Another question to Starmer is on why he described the target to build 1.5 million homes during his term as "hugely ambitious".
Is he preparing the ground for potential failure?
The prime minister responds by saying it is ambitious and it's huge.
"This hasn't been done for decades and decades. But we're going to go for it," he says, adding that previous governments were scared to take the planning decisions that were necessary to deliver on housing.
