On Monday morning Prime Minister Keir Starmer made what has been described as a make-or-break speech. Two Tyneside MPs have responded to the speech by calling upon him to go. The details are here:
Emma Lewell
South Shields MP Emma Lewell responded to Starmer’s speech with the following statement:
A speech that should have begun with “sorry”.
I was hoping throughout for an announcement of a total reboot and the reset of the economic model of this country.
Instead – a promise of future change – again. This came across like a pre- Election speech on what we will do on what we will do and what we plan to do. Not a speech from a government nearly two years in.
The British public doesn’t want to hear a narrative or a story, all to hear why we do what we do, they just want us to deliver – and rightly so.
I get the points made about battling Reform and Greens, but all that does is harden their base and insult Those who voted for them.
As for rebuilding our relationship with Europe being a key flank of this speech – I despair.
This was a speech written in the same internal echo chamber that got us into this mess. In my patch, we lost every single council seat. Yet no one at all in the government leadership has reached out to ask me why. Fundamentally, the public does not trust the PM or the government.
Without trust you have nothing.
In 2024 we want a general election on the promise of change, we promised better, people believed us. They have been left down.
People voted for change – they got more of the same.
I feel desperately sad, angry and frustrated today.”
Catherine McKinnell
Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell responded to the speech by Starmer by writing the following and posting it online:
“The message given by the voters on Thursday was clear as day – the labour government has to change or we will change the Labour government.
Local councillors who had given decades of public service between them bore the brunt’s message bearers. We now have only two Labour councillors left in Newcastle – the lowest ever.
Having spoken to many constituents over these past few weeks, I know many voted in sorrow rather than, anger but they were clear that they could not support the Labour Party at this time. We are not connecting with voters and they do not feel we are delivering for them. This despite some of the most profound reforms that children and families housing young people employment and immigration the country has seen in generations.
It’s become clear that it’s time for a new leader to take us to the finish line of this term and on to the next. A leader that wastes no time looking inward, but relentlessly deliver the manifesto that we committed to at the General Election. A leader who has a clear, unwavering sense of direction, a proven track record of delivery and the ability to connect with voters on the left, right and centre.
It’s vital we now see a swift an orderly transition so we can get on with delivering our promise of change on our promise of change. The voting public have been crystal clear we have no time to lose”.
