PM’s speech on Plan for Change

Yesterday (5th December), Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a speech at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire that set out the milestones for the government to deliver on its manifesto promises through a Plan for Change that aims to drive real improvements for working people.

These milestones for change intend to track the government’s progress against each of the mission by the end of parliament, ensuring accountability to the public and aiming to built trust with the British people.

These milestones include a new commitment to fast track planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects, alongside the biggest housebuilding and infrastructure push in the last 50 years to boost economic growth nationwide. 

Other reforms include having a named police officer in every neighbourhood, as well as recruiting 13,000 additional officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and special constables in neighbourhood roles in England and Wales.

Starmer iterated that the government must be more dynamic and innovative in order to achieve its missions, and that this could only be done by working closely in partnership with businesses, civil society, as well as local governments. Part of the intention comes the drive to involve more experts in Whitehall discussions. Drawing on expertise from leaders in their field, the government will be supported and bolstered in their mission to drive tangible progress for the British public.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “This government was elected to deliver real change for working people — and that is exactly what we are doing.

“We have already stabilised the economy, secured an extra £26 billion for the NHS and launched a Border Security Command to tackle illegal migration.

“Face with a dire inheritance, we know that we cannot deliver our Plan for Change alone. Mission-led government means doing things differently, and a decade of national renewal will require the skills and determination of us all.”

The milestones set out in today’s Plan for Change include raising living standards across the entire country, doubly ensuring that working people have more disposable income and that the UK has the highest sustained growth in the G7, through higher Real Household Disposable Income per person, and GDP per capita by the end of the Parliament.

Additionally, the PM wants to build 1.5 million new homes in England and fast-tracking planing decision on more than 150 major infrastructure projects to ensure they’re completed as quickly as possible to drive economic growth, alongside ending hospital backlogs to make sure 92 per cent of English patients wait more than 18 weeks for elective treatment.

Other missions include having a 75 per cent of five-year-olds in England ready to learn when they start school, alongside net zero initiatives including home-grown energy, and being on track to at least 95 per cent Clean Power by 2030 to ensure the UK is on track for a net zero 2050.

These missions sit on the foundations necessary to deliver long term change, which the government has been focused on rebuilding – economic stability, secure borders and national security.