August 26th 2024.
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer will be giving a speech at the same location where former advisor Dominic Cummings held his infamous press conference back in May of 2020. Starmer will be standing at the site of a highly controversial lockdown party that took place at Number 10 Downing Street, as he lays out his plans for two terms of Labour government.
The Prime Minister has extended an invitation to 50 individuals he met during the election campaign, to join him in the Rose Garden at Downing Street on Monday, just before parliament's return from recess. It's worth noting that on May 15, 2020, this very garden was used by Boris Johnson and his team for a gathering featuring wine and cheese, while the rest of the country was still under strict lockdown measures.
Not long after, the same space was used by Johnson's chief aide, Dominic Cummings, for a press conference where he infamously claimed to have driven to Barnard Castle in County Durham to test his eyesight. In his upcoming speech on Tuesday morning, Starmer is expected to address those in attendance by saying, "A garden and a building that were once used for lockdown-breaking parties, are now back in your service."
Among the invitees to this event are apprentices, firefighters, small business owners, and public servants. The Prime Minister is set to deliver a message stating, "Next week, parliament will return. The business of politics will resume, but it will not be business as usual. Because we can't go on like this anymore. No more politics of performance, papering over the cracks, or division and distraction. Things are being done differently now."
Starmer will also touch upon the Partygate scandal in his address, reminding the audience of the controversies surrounding the Conservative Party in recent months. However, Conservative Party chairman Richard Fuller argues that the chosen setting for the speech is nothing more than a theatrical performance to distract the public from Starmer's broken promises. He stated, "In fewer than 100 days, the Labour Party has abandoned its commitment to public service and has become embroiled in scandals, while also giving out generous payouts to their union allies with no strings attached. They have also laid the groundwork for policies that will harm pensioners and tax hardworking individuals."
While Starmer's speech will primarily focus on setting expectations for the first few years of a Labour government, he is also expected to address one of the biggest challenges he has faced since the election: the recent riots. The Prime Minister is anticipated to use his speech as an opportunity to commend the individuals who came together to clean up their communities following the riots.
He will say, "The riots didn't just reveal the sickness within our society, they also showed us the cure. It was not found in the divisive tactics of populism, but in the unity and solidarity of a nation that came together the morning after to restore their communities. This is who we are, this is what we stand for. People who look out for their neighbors, communities that stand against hatred and division, and emergency services who courageously fulfill their duties even in dangerous situations. And our government, which always puts the people of this country first."
Starmer will also add, "This government may not always be perfect, but I make this promise: you will be at the heart of our decisions and at the forefront of our minds, central to everything we do." This speech will take place towards the end of a shortened parliamentary recess, with little time for the Prime Minister or his colleagues to relax due to a series of ongoing crises both domestically and internationally.
It's expected that once MPs return on Monday, there will be a flurry of activity, with two important dates in mind for the Labour Party: the 100-day mark since the election on October 13, and the first Labour Budget in 14 years on October 30. These will undoubtedly be crucial moments for the Labour Party as they strive to fulfill their promises and steer the country towards a better future.
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