Sir Keir Starmer has promised to “get tough” with any Labour MPs who oppose new housing in their own constituency as he aims to rip up planning red tape to build more homes.
The Labour leader, who has promised to “bulldoze” his way to 1.5 million homes said he would stand up to his own party if they side by so-called nimbys – those who say “not in my back yard”.
Promising that he would overcome “nimby” Labour MPs, he told Times Radio: “We are going to have to be tough with anybody who stands in the way of that – and that will include any Labour MPs who say, ‘Well, I’m signed up to the project but just not here’.”
It came as Sir Keir condemned the “idiot” protester who threw glitter over him at the start of his conference speech – saying he was “determined” not to let the activist distract from his message.
Sir Keir acknowledged the security breach which saw a protester rush the stage could have been “a lot worse” as Labour launched a review – before joking that the glitter was a “nightmare” to get off.
The party will probe the failings which led to the activist’s glitterbomb attack, with sources blaming the Metropolitan Police protection which monitors Sir Keir’s movements round the clock.
Grilled on housing plans in a long series of broadcast interviews, Sir Keir told broadcasters he was “confident” he could hit his ambitious targets – which includes a plan for the next generation of new towns.
The Labour leader, who spoke against the impact of HS2 on his own constituency in north London, said concerns of local MPs like him would sometimes have to be overridden in the national interest.
“You will always get, and quite understandably and quite rightly, individual MPs standing up for the communities in their patch,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today. “The role of government is obviously different. The role of government is to deliver on big projects.”
Keir Starmer delivers leader’s speech with glitter on shoulders— (Getty Images)
Questioned by the BBC if he would bulldoze through local opposition to new housing, Sir Keir said: “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” Asked if he was a yimby – a yes in my back yard – the Labour leader said: “I am, yes.”
He rejected the idea he was bulldozing through local democracy, but said he wanted to centralise decisions. “We need to ensure the planning goes up a level so it is not so localised.”
Tory chairman Greg Hands said it was “bad news for local democracy if Sir Keir Starmer ever won power”.
Grilled on BBC Breakfast on where funding would come from for new towns, Mr Starmer said he was “confident” bidders will come forward. “My instinct is that we’ll get more bids than we think”.
Under Labour’s plans, companies will get powers to buy land at lower prices, without having to factor in the current increase in the value to get potential planning permission. In a bid to create 300,000 new homes a year, low-quality green belt areas will be released for development.
Reminded on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that parties had promised to build millions of homes in the past, Sir Keir conceded that “politicians have promised before”, before adding: “I’m not prepared for us not to deliver.” The Labour leader said he had been “bombproofing” the party’s promised in the past year.
Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner want series of new towns— (PA Wire)
Sir Keir also confirmed Labour also would look to eradicate the 7.7 million NHS waiting list in England in a single term. The opposition leader said the “plan is there” to cut the numbers waiting for treatment by two million per year, potentially resetting it by the time a four-year term in No 10 is over.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir continued to emphasis his strong support for Israel’s “right to defend herself” after the shock attack by Hamas.
Asked if Israel has a right to lay siege to Gaza, the Labour leader told BBC 5Live: “I think Israel has the right to defend herself in the face of appalling and shocking terrorism.” Questioned if the bombardment of Gaza worries him, he said: “Responsibility lies with Hamas. We need to be really clear about that.”
Grilled earlier on LBC if he thought a siege of Gaza was appropriate if it involved “cutting off power, cutting off water”, Labour Sir Keir Starmer replied: “I think that Israel does have that right,” before also clarifying: “Obviously, everything should be done within international law.”
The Labour Muslim Network later accused Mr Starmer of endorsing the “collective punishment” of 2.2 million people in Gaza – calling for him to “retract his comments on LBC, and apologise”.
Sir Keir also said the colours of the Israel flag should be displayed at the Wembley arch for England’s match this Saturday, as the FA deliberates whether to do so. He told LBC: “I do think they should be on the arch. I think a message needs to go out that we stand with Israel.”
He also said waving a Palestinian flag on the streets of Britain could be an issue depending on the circumstances. “If it’s provoking or encouraging attacks that might be one thing, there might be other situations.”
Labour’s conference drew to a close on Wednesday with a focus on public service reforms and greater use of technology in the NHS.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told that activists a Labour government would “turn the NHS on its head” – arguing that reform is more important than pouring money into a health system “that isn’t working”.
In the closing speech, shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth called on Rishi Sunak to call a general election now and issued an appeal to Tory voters to “join us”.
