Labour’s first steps for change

A photo of Keir Starmer next to the words 'My first steps for change', and his signature underneath.

The country needs change and Labour has a plan to deliver it.

Keir Starmer has set out Labour’s five national missions to get Britain’s future back. The missions are long term, fully funded aims that will guide a Labour government’s decisions to deliver a decade of national renewal.

These first steps build towards the missions by setting out how Labour would make an immediate impact to people’s lives and kickstart a real process of lasting change.

What are Labour’s first steps for change?

A red and white graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change 1. Deliver economic stability 2. Cut NHS waiting times 3.Launch a new Border Security Command 4. Set up Great British Energy 5. Crack down on antisocial behaviour 6. Recruit 6,500 new teachers
  1. Deliver economic stability with tough spending rules, so we can grow our economy and keep taxes, inflation and mortgages as low as possible.
  1. Cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 more appointments each week, during evenings and weekends, paid for by cracking down on tax avoidance and non-dom loopholes.
  1. Launch a new Border Security Command with hundreds of new specialist investigators and use counter-terror powers to smash criminal boat gangs.
  1. Set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean power company, to cut bills for good and boost energy security, paid for by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants.
  1. Crack down on antisocial behaviour, with more neighbourhood police paid for by ending wasteful contracts, tough new penalties for offenders, and a new network of youth hubs.
  1. Recruit 6,500 new teachers in key subjects to set children up for life, work and the future, paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools
Scottish Labour’s first steps Welsh Labour’s six steps

Watch Labour’s first steps for change launch event

Watch Keir Starmer: My first steps to change Britain

What Labour’s first steps will mean for you

Graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change: Deliver economic stability

As part of Labour’s mission to get Britain building again, we will deliver economic stability with tough spending rules, so we can grow our economy and keep taxes, inflation and mortgages as low as possible.

Growing the economy on secure foundations will be the number one mission of the next Labour government. That is the route to making working people better off.

Labour will deliver stability with iron discipline, guided by strong fiscal rules, robust economic institutions, and a new ‘fiscal lock’ to ensure we never repeat the mini budget that sent mortgage rates soaring.

Graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change: Cut NHS waiting times

In order to get the NHS back on its feet, Labour will cut NHS waiting times, delivering 40,000 more evening and weekend appointments by paying doctors and nurses overtime rates to take on additional shifts. This will be paid for by cracking down on tax avoidance and closing the Tory non-dom loophole.

Labour will get the NHS working differently, by setting up shared waiting lists and collaboration between hospitals.

This means that a patient can be seen more quickly at a neighbouring hospital if they agree, rather than waiting at their assigned hospital.

Graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change: Launch a new Border Security Command

Labour will secure our borders. The numbers of asylum seekers crossing the channel in small boats has surged under the Tories, and the backlog of asylum seekers waiting in hotels has reached record levels.

Labour’s first step to tackle the crisis will be to create a new Border Security Command, led by a Border Security Commander.

Graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change: Set up Great British Energy

Labour will switch on Great British Energy, a new home-grown, publicly owned clean energy generation company that will see bills cut for good, boost energy security and create jobs. Great British Energy will be funded in part by a proper windfall tax on oil and gas giants making record profits.

Headquartered in Scotland, Great British Energy will ensure jobs and supply chains are built here in the UK, developing our clean energy industries.  

Labour’s plan will lower bills because renewables are far cheaper than gas. 

Great British Energy is part of Labour’s Green Prosperity Plan to create 650,000 good jobs, cut bills by £300 on average and deliver real energy security.  

Graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change: Crack down on antisocial behaviour

A Labour government will take back our streets. Labour’s pledge to put 13,000 extra neighbourhood police and PCSOs back on the beat will give every community a named officer they can get in touch with, so policing gets back to doing what it’s supposed to do.  

Our Respect Orders, tough court orders similar to ASBOs, will allow us to ban those repeatedly wreaking havoc in town centres and problem areas. Our fast track Public Space Protection Orders will make it quicker and easier to clamp down on rapid escalations in drug dealing or drinking. 

We will also deliver a network of youth hubs that brings local services together and gives support to teenagers at risk of being drawn into crime.

Graphic with text reading: Labour's first steps for change: Recruit 6,500 new teachers

Labour will break down the barriers to opportunity, recruiting 6,500 new teachers in key subjects where there are shortages. This will boost standards and ensure that every child has access to high-quality education provision.

We will do this by targeting recruitment towards shortage subjects and schools which find it hardest to recruit and retain staff.  

We will review the curriculum so that it has greater breadth including developing creativity, digital and communication skills that will set young people up for life and work.