THE Prime Minister hit back at claims he was talking the country down — as UK growth prospects received a major upgrade yesterday.
Sir Keir Starmer said it was not right to suggest he was spreading doom and gloom which could deter investment.
1
He has told voters there is a £22billion financial black hole.
Yesterday the PM said in New York: “We have to have an accurate diagnosis of what the problem is, then our job is to say what are we going to do about it? Short-term, difficult decisions.
“The purpose of the difficult decisions is to make sure we grow the economy, living standards, everyone better off, our public services back properly functioning, an NHS that’s on its feet fit for the future.”
Yesterday the OECD forecast Britain’s GDP growth to hit 1.1 per cent in 2024 — up from its 0.4 per cent projection in May.
READ MORE ON SIR KEIR STARMER
The forecast is for 1.2 per cent in 2025. OECD chief economist Alvaro Pereira said the UK should re-write short-termist fiscal rules to allow for higher investment to deliver growth.
He told the Financial Times the rolling five-year measures could lead to the deterioration of public finances and hold back much-needed improvements to productivity and the nation’s infrastructure.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves welcomed the upgrade but said there was “more to do.”
Starmer: Don’t rap pal Gray
By Jack Elsom
SIR Keir Starmer has said people should not criticise his divisive chief of staff Sue Gray.
No 10 has been rocked by stories on Ms Gray — including a leak that she was being paid more than the PM.
She is with him on his current New York trip.
He told the BBC last night: “I don’t believe my staff should be the subject of public debate like this, and I’m not going to play any part in it.”
But he was accused of hypocrisy by the Tories after old remarks resurfaced which showed him attacking ex-No 10 aide Dominic Cummings for receiving a £40,000 pay rise in 2020.