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Sir Keir Starmer is encountering significant criticism following his shift on support for women impacted by the state pension age changes.
As the opposition leader, he vowed to “address the issue,” acknowledging the hardships faced by women whose retirement plans were disrupted.
However, after assuming the role of Prime Minister, Sir Keir sent out his work and pensions secretary to inform Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi women) that they would not receive compensation.
The Independent examines instances where Sir Keir has disappointed voters or reversed his commitments during his journey from Labour leader to Prime Minister.
Waspi Women
In a 2022 conversation, Sir Keir emphasized the injustice of altering retirement timelines, saying: “All your working life, you anticipate a retirement date, only to find the goalposts have shifted when the time approaches.”
£28bn Green Investment Pledge
Former shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves announced at the 2021 Labour conference an ambitious commitment for an additional £28bn per year towards green investments. However, Sir Keir later replaced this goal with a significantly smaller commitment for clean energy and efficiency improvements.
Two-Child Benefit Cap
During his 2020 campaign, Sir Keir pledged to reform the social security system by abolishing measures like the two-child benefit cap. Yet, he later affirmed that Labour would not modify the Conservative government’s policy if elected, maintaining support for the existing framework.
Winter Fuel Payments
Previously, as part of Jeremy Corbyn’s front bench, Sir Keir opposed plans to limit winter fuel payments. Nonetheless, in a move that surprised many, he decided to cut these payments, affecting numerous elderly individuals just before winter.
National Insurance
Labour’s election manifesto explicitly stated a promise not to increase national insurance. Yet, following the election, Sir Keir and Chancellor Reeves exploited a loophole to implement a rise in employer contributions.
Tractor Tax
Farmers felt let down after Sir Keir assured a commitment to enhance relations with the agricultural community. However, an unexpected policy change saw cuts to agricultural property relief, imposing a significant burden on family farmers.
Bankers’ Bonuses
While Sir Keir had previously vowed to reintroduce restrictions on bankers’ bonuses, his party later declared it had no intention of reinstating these measures, reversing an earlier position.
10 Pledges
Sir Keir’s initial campaign relied on ten pledges that have since been largely abandoned. These included commitments to raise taxes for high earners and support for public ownership, leaving many supporters feeling betrayed.
Non-Doms
In light of increasing reports of high-net-worth individuals departing the UK, Chancellor Reeves indicated a possible retreat from Labour’s proposed taxation on non-doms, which would benefit the wealthiest even further.
