Sir Keir Starmer expresses ‘frustration’ at Boris Johnson’s ‘inexcusable failure’ to escalate but says the idea was ‘the right thing’

Sir Keir Starmer admitted Boris Johnson’s proposals for an upgrade were “right” but said he was “frustrated” by the former prime minister’s “inexcusable” failure to deliver on his promises.

The Labor leader also claimed that the policy that defined Johnson’s tenure as prime minister was “killed at birth” by his successor, Rishi Sunak.

Sir Keir told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby at the launch of Labour’s local campaign in Dudley that Mr Johnson’s “idea” of upgrades he put to voters in 2019 was “the right thing”.

But he added: “What it requires – and this is where I get frustrated – is that if you really believe it… I’m afraid you have to roll up your sleeves, you have to make a schedule, you go hard coding.

“So what’s inexcusable about Boris Johnson is that he didn’t make the hard pass after making that a focus, and that’s why people are even more disappointed.”

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The Labor leader was equally critical of Mr Sunak, who he said “killed upgrades at birth because he refused to fund them – and we know the consequences.”

However, despite criticizing the Conservatives for failing to commit money to the policy, Sir Keir refused to commit any new funding to local councils, which have a funding gap estimated at £4 billion over the next two years.

He told Rigby his party “cannot open the spending taps for cash-strapped local authorities” but could extend funding settlements to provide more stability.

“If we stabilize the economy, we will lower inflation,” he said. “It’s a big drag on Parliament.”

Another change proposed by Sir Keir is a ban on no-fault evictions, which he said increases the “pressure” on councils to find alternative accommodation.

The ban on no-fault evictions is one of a number of measures stalled in the long-delayed Tenant Reform Bill, which has been pushed forward by the bill’s upgrade secretary, Michael Gove. Accused of downplaying to appease skeptical backbenchers.

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But Gove said the Labor leader’s assessment of the government’s record was “woefully wrong”.

“We are the party that has been leading the way in terms of leveling up for many years,” he said.

“As a result of this Conservative government, regions in the Midlands and the north that Labor has neglected for decades have received a cash injection and a surge in power.

“We have handed power to the mayors of the Tees Valley and West Midlands who have had a decisive impact on raising wages, leveraging investment and empowering local communities.

“Labour is late to the game and they have nothing new to say. No new funding, no new powers, no plan at all.”