Starmer: We'll bulldoze planning curbs

SIR Keir Starmer was accused of plotting to concrete over the green belt after he vowed to "bulldoze" through planning laws if he wins power.

- Sam Lister and Steph Spyro

After a dramatic start to his conference speech when a protester stormed the stage and covered him in glitter, the Labour leader set himself up as the heir to Sir Tony Blair with promises to renew the country after 13 years of Tory rule.

But he failed to mention any plan to deal with the small boats crisis during the hour-long speech.

And he lifted the lid on Labour's plans to tear up planning rules to end the "blockage" on major new developments.

He said: "Let's get to work, because there is one barrier so big, so imposing that it blocks out all light from the other side.

"A blockage that stops this country building roads, grid connections, laboratories, train lines, warehouses, wind farms, power stations. An obstacle to the aspirations of millions now and in the future - who deserve the security of home ownership.

"A future hidden by our restrictive planning system. Conference, we must bulldoze through it." Sir Keir said Labour would build new towns as part of his plan for 1.5 million more homes in five years.

The locations will be chosen based on housing need and transport access in the first six months of a Labour government.

Pylons

Thousands of new pylons and wind farms are also being planned as well as warehouses and power stations.

Sir Keir insisted that he will not be "tearing up the green belt" and claimed that no party "fights harder for our environment" than Labour.

But he attacked so-called "nimbys" who oppose developments, telling the conference there would be "no more inertia in the face of resistance and there will be resistance from people who say, 'No, we don't want Britain's future here"".

Critics warned the plan will leave local communities at the mercy of developers.

Senior Conservative Sir John Hayes said: "It's now clear that Keir Starmer would destroy our green and pleasant land.