General Election 2024 LIVE: Sir Keir Starmer admits 'we'll have to take tough decisions early' in first press conference as PM

Press conference follows first Cabinet meeting since Labour stormed to power in Thursday’s election

Sir Keir Starmer has admitted his Labour government is “going to have to make tough decisions early” in his first press conference as Prime Minister.

The PM got down to business after Labour’s landslide victory in the General Election, holding his first Cabinet meeting in a soggy Downing Street on Saturday morning.

Mr Starmer signalled that more powers could be devolved to London Mayor Sadiq Khan to get the capital fully thriving.

At his first press conference in Downing Street, he stressed that on Tuesday he would hold a meeting with the mayors of cities across Britain to discuss how those who have “skin in the game” can take more decisions and hold more responsibilities.

The gathering in Number 10 came as Sir Keir looks to start working on his party’s manifesto pledges and prepare for a Nato summit next week.

Meanwhile leading Tory figures are preparing leadership bids after Rishi Sunak announced he would quit and used his final speech in Downing Street to apologise to the British people and the Conservative Party.

After all 650 Commons seats had been declared following Thursday’s bombshell election, Labour were left with a majority of 176 as the Tories suffered the worst result in the party’s history.

The Standard is bringing you all the major developments on Sir Keir’s first full day as PM...

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6 July 2024

Streeting vows to work closely with devolved organisations

New Health Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to work closely with the devolved administrations.

He tweeted: "Following this morning's Cabinet meeting, I held calls with Health Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and (Scottish Labour's health spokesperson Jackie Baillie) @jackiebmsp.

"A Labour government in Westminster will be a rising tide that lifts all ships and we'll work constructively with devolved administrations."

6 July 2024

Photos of the day: July 6

Sir Keir Starmer takes his press conference as prime minister
Claudia Greco/PA Wire
From left, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson are among those serving in Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet (Tejas Sandhu/PA)
PA Wire
First cabinet meeting for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the new Labour government, in London
Deputy PM Angela Rayner steps out of 10 Downing Street
REUTERS
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the new Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, James McMurdock, watch the inaugural match of East Thurrock CFC at Wyldecrest Sports Country Club
PA Wire
6 July 2024

Keir Starmer's Cabinet the most diverse ever

Sir Keir Starmer's first Cabinet is the most diverse on record in terms of education background, analysis has shown.

The majority of the Prime Minister's top team - 23 Cabinet ministers, or 92 per cent of the total - attended comprehensive schools, according to research by social mobility charity the Sutton Trust.

Sir Keir said he was proud to have Cabinet ministers who "didn't have the easiest of starts in life" and reflect the "aspiration" at the heart of Britain when the diverse educational backgrounds of his top team were referenced during a press conference at Downing Street on Saturday.

He told journalists: "I'm really proud of the fact that my Cabinet reflects the aspiration that I believe lies at the heart of our country.

"That aspiration that so many people have, wherever they started from, to make a journey in life for themselves, for their families, their communities, and ultimately for their country."

BRITAIN-POLITICS-CABINET
Faces around the table at Keir Starmer’s new Cabinet
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
6 July 2024

Starmer says 'mission delivery boards' could drive economic growth

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to personally chair new "mission delivery boards" to "put into action" Labour's manifesto commitments.

The cross-departmental panels are expected to be set up to make progress on the party's five key pledges - to drive economic growth, reform the NHS, invest in clean energy, reform the crime and justice system, and improve opportunity through a new skills agenda.

The Prime Minister said he would head the boards himself to emphasise his focus on pursuing the plans central to Labour's first term in government.

6 July 2024

Devolution promise with Starmer considering metro mayors

Sir Keir Starmer signalled more power could be given to metro mayors as he announced he would meet with regional leaders of all political stripes during his first week in Number 10.

The Prime Minister said his "door is open" to those who know what is best for their communities as he suggested the Labour Government would be "bold" about pushing resources out of Whitehall.

In his first Downing Street press conference after winning a landslide victory at the General Election, Sir Keir announced he would meet local politicians from cities across the country on Tuesday.

"The principle I operate to is those with skin in the game know what's best for their communities," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer holding his first press conference from Downing Street (Claudia Greco/PA)
PA Wire
6 July 2024

Farage: 'Labour could be in trouble pretty quickly'

Nigel Farage said Sir Keir Starmer's new Government "could be in trouble pretty quickly" as he watched a football club's first match in Essex with Reform UK's fifth MP James McMurdock.

Mr Farage, who has entered Parliament for the first time for his Reform party, said that the Labour frontbench was “inexperienced”.

"With a couple of exceptions, they are I think the most inexperienced people ever to have got into a British cabinet,” he said.

"If you actually look at their life stories, their backgrounds and bear in mind, these are people making executive decisions that fundamentally affect people's lives, I think they're going to find it very, very hard.

“And I say that because the country faces some really fundamental problems, I suspect this Government could be in trouble pretty quickly."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the new Reform MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, James McMurdock
PA Wire
6 July 2024

Keir Starmer: More powers could be devolved to Mayor Sadiq Khan to boost London

Sir Keir Starmer signalled that more powers could be devolved to London Mayor Sadiq Khan to get the capital fully thriving.

At his first press conference in Downing Street, he stressed that on Tuesday he would hold a meeting with the mayors of cities across Britain to discuss how those who have “skin in the game” can take more decisions and hold more responsibilities.

His “door was open” to Mr Khan and other regional leaders, he added, to work with the new Labour government to boost their areas.

UK Daily Politics 2024
Getty Images
6 July 2024

Starmer says it's 'impossible' to stop early release of prisoners

It is "impossible" to say the Government will stop the early release of prisoners, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

The Prime Minister's comments at a press conference at Downing Street on Saturday come after prison governors last week warned that jails could run out of space within days, putting the public in danger.

The Prison Governors' Association (PGA), which represents more than 95% of all prison governors and managers working in England and Wales, said the entire criminal justice system "stands on the precipice of failure" as it called on the next government to tackle problems "without delay".

Sir Keir said: "We've got too many prisoners, not enough prisons.

"That's a monumental failure of the last government on any basic view of government to get to a situation where you haven't got enough prison places for prisoners, doesn't matter what your political stripe, that is a failure of government.

"It's a failure of government to instruct the police not to arrest. This has not had enough attention, in my view, but it's what happened.

"We will fix that, but we can't fix it overnight and therefore it is impossible to simply say we will stop the early release of prisoners and you wouldn't believe me if I did say it."

Sir Keir Starmer said it is ‘impossible’ to say the Government will stop the early release of prisoners (Michael Cooper/PA)
PA Wire
6 July 2024

Big Brother is watching you: Tory jokes about joining house

A Conservative politician who lost his seat in the General Election has jokingly asked whether Big Brother is still "looking for people".

Brendan Clarke-Smith was unseated as the MP for Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire by Labour candidate Jo White after she received nearly 6,000 more votes on Thursday.

Following the defeat, Mr Clarke-Smith jokingly threw his hat into the ring for the next series of the ITV reality show.

He responded to a post on X, formerly Twitter, from The Sun's political editor which claimed that Big Brother was looking for a "big political name" to take part in this year's series.

Mr Clarke-Smith replied: "Don't suppose they are still looking for people?"

He jokingly added that the hyphen in his surname makes it a "big name".

6 July 2024

Who is Wes Streeting?

Meet your new health secretary.

Wes Streeting was appointed Health and Social Care Secretary (PA)
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