I will bring Labour out of the shadows

Starmer plots return to power after 10 years of Tory misrule

- BEN GLAZE

KEIR Starmer has vowed to lead Labour “out of the shadows” and start undoing the damage inflicted under a decade of Tory rule.

The 58-year-old became leader in April, five months after Labour’s most crushing polls defeat in 84 years.

It is now 15 years since his party won a general election – and as he closed the Labour Connected conference yesterday, Mr Starmer told of his “anger” at languishing in opposition.

But he also spoke of it being “time to get serious about winning”.

He said: “As well as anger, I feel frustration – frustration that every Labour Party spokesperson is a shadow: Shadow Education, Shadow Health, Shadow Chancellor, Shadow Foreign.

“Until we come out of the shadows, this party can’t change anything.

“The best incentive for being deadly serious about victory is to remember why we want to win.

“I don’t want to win power just to be Prime Minister – I want to win because of the country I love and because of the values that I hold dear. When you win, you come out of the shadows, you change lives, you make a difference to your country.”