Keir Starmer was left bruised this morning after a brutal interview on the BBC Breakfast couch.
The Labour leader was pressed on basic policies around tax and economic growth, only to be called out for “woolly” and “vague” answers.
Sir Keir was asked a simple question about whether the lowest paid will pay less tax under a Labour government.
He replied that it was merely “our ambition”, before being cut off by Charlie Stayt who pointed out “everyone can say it’s an ambition! Will they pay less tax? You can choose to make that decision, why wouldn’t you do that?”
Sir Keir tried again: “Because we’ve still got a Budget to go, we may even have a Budget and an Autumn Statement to go so no one knows the precise state of the public finances”.
Mr Stayt goaded the Labour leader into making the pledge now: “You could sit here and say: ‘if you’re a low-paid person watching BBC Breakfast this morning, under Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party you will pay less tax because [I] think that’s right”.
Asked whether he would make the pledge, Sir Keir said Labour would “grown the economy and put us in a position – I hope – where we can do that”.
The BBC Breakfast host gave up at this point, slamming the Labour leader: “It sounds woolly!”
“Can you hear yourself? That sounds vague.”
Defending himself, Sir Keir cited the example from 1992 where Labour set out the precise tax regime it would put in place just before a budget, only for the budget to “change the playing field”.
Once again the BBC presenter cut him off, saying: “With respect Sir Keir Starmer, a lot of people when they hear you talk about 1992 switch off!”
“It was a long time ago and it wasn’t very relevant.”
Sir Keir reiterated that until he’s heard the final fiscal statement before the election, “it is impossible for the opposition to know precisely what money is available”.
Naga Munchetty also joined in with the brutal interview, demanding to know why anyone should believe Sir Keir’s pledges after u-turning on his promise to spend £28 billion on green investment.
“Labour’s green pledge: £28 billion. In 2021 the party promised to spend £28 billion until 2030; in June, Rachel Reeves your shadow chancellor dampened that, saying it would be ‘reckless’ to do that.
“Why should anyone believe these pledges, I think there were 10 you had originally, that you made because as you have repeatedly said the economy was trashed under Liz Truss?”
Sir Keir defended his pledges, saying he’s not rowing back on achieving clean power by 2030.
