Europe

Starmer prepares ‘unpopular measures’ after revealing £22bn hole in economy

Starmer prepares 'unpopular measures' after revealing £22bn hole in economy

The British Prime Minister, the Labour Keir Starmerwarned on Tuesday that the government’s general budget, scheduled for next October 31, will be “painful” due to the decisions “unpopular” that the Executive must adopt to grow the economy.

In a speech given today in the gardens of Downing Street -headquarters of the Executive-, whose content had been partially advanced this Sunday by local media, Starmer promised that it will focus on the wealth creation and in national economic growth, although to do so it will have to take “tough measures.”

The Labour leader said his government would take “decisions that are not popular if it is in the long-term interest of the country” and warned that the country’s financial situation “will have to get worse before it gets better.”

Among some of these controversial measures is the withdrawal of a subsidy of aid to cover energy bills during the winter for those pensioners who are better off financially, a decision that, according to Starmer, “has had to be taken” and which he justified by arguing that “it is costing the country a fortune” and is unviable if the economy is to grow.

The politician blamed the conservatives for “chaos and ruin” which have been left in the public coffers and for which there are no quick remedies.

“We have inherited not only a huge economic black hole from 22 billion pounds (26 billion euros) but a black hole in society and that is why we have taken measures to do things differently,” he said.

He also said that change will not happen. “overnight”although he stressed that Labour “has achieved more in seven weeks than the last government achieved in seven years”.

In his speech, Starmer also referred to the recent riots in the country, noting that those who participated in them had been able to “exploit the fractures in society after 14 years of populism and failure.”

These revolts “exposed the state of the country” and revealed “a deeply unhealthy society,” he noted.

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