Keir Starmer LIVE: Labour leader talks Brexit, cutting taxes & if he can be trusted as he spills all on Sun’s new show
SIR Keir Starmer talked Brexit, cutting taxes and if he REALLY can be trusted on The Sun's new politics show.
The Labour Leader was grilled by Sun Editor Harry Cole on .
On Brexit, Starmer insisted we're "not going back in" the EU - but is committed to "making Britain better".
He vowed to protect workers from tax rises - but refused to commit to the triple pensions lock.
And, the man who - if the polls are correct - will be Britain’s next Prime Minister was quizzed on whether he really CAN be trusted.
You can watch Starmer take on the issues that matter at 8pm on and The Sun’s .
Follow our live blog below for all the latest news and updates...
Starmer's "flip-flopping"
Keir Starmer’s biggest U-turns
MAN OF MANY FACES
Sir Keir Starmer has become known as a major flip-flopper since he became leader of the Labour Party.
Here The Sun takes a look at some of his most blatant U-turns.
BREXIT
Sir Keir spent the entire 2017 parliament trying to reverse Brexit.
When he ran as Labour leader in 2020, Sir Keir did not repeat his call for a second referendum on Brexit, but he did endorse freedom of movement. After becoming leader, he said he would not cross the red line of accepting freedom of movement for EU citizens under any future negotiation of post-Brexit trading arrangements with Brussels. He has however pledged a closer trading relationship with Brussels.
NATIONALISATION
When he ran for the Labour leadership, Sir Keir vowed to bring public services, including rail, mail, energy and water, into “common ownership".
But the pledge didn't last long. As early as September 2021, he ruled out nationalising the six big energy companies and in July 2022, shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves ditched the commitment to nationalise more public services in one fell swoop.
The party still intends to bring train operators into public ownership but only when current franchises expire.
OUTSOURCING
One of Sir Keir's other leadership pledges included putting an end the involvement of the private sector in the NHS. Again, it didn't last long as it was dropped in the summer of 2022, with Sir Keir saying the party would have to continue with some level or private provision in the health service.
TUITION FEES
Sir Keir promised he would end the "national scandal" of student debt by abolishing tuition fees in 2020.
Changing his stance, he said the country found itself in a “different financial situation”.
GREEN PROSPERITY PLAN
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves vowed to invest £28 billion a year on green projects when she addressed the first in-person conference under Sir Keir back in 2021.
But in one of the most screeching U-turns, Labour announced in February it would spend just over £4.7bn a year.
Keir's favourite pint and crisps
In a quick-fire round for the new political show - that you can watch on our website and The Sun's YouTube channel - he revealed his favourite crisps were salt and vinegar.
Keir's favourite tipple at the end of a long day is a Pale Ale.
He also told viewers how he doesn't have any tattoos.
Labour chief talks religion
Sir Keir told how he wasn't religious so not following in the footsteps of former Labour leader Tony Blair.
He said: "No, I'm not. I'm a great believer in faith. But I'm not personally religious."
The wannabe PM tackled a number of topics when faced with quick-fire questions.
"I didn't believe Corbyn would win"
Starmer said he never believed Jeremy Corbyn would win when he told the public to vote for him - attempting to bat away accusations of dishonesty.
He said: "I didn’t think we’d win the 2019 election, I didn’t think we were ready."
Sir Keir also defended a slew of policy u-turns since becoming Labour leader on The Sun’s new political show .
Starmer reveals his favourite curry
The vegetarian told how he shares his curries with his family - but he will opt for a chana masala.
He said: "We share it (the curry). My wife's vegetarian. My daughter's vegetarian.
"Our son is not a vegetarian because when he was 10, we said you don't have to do this if you don't want to.
"So he'll have a lovely chicken curry alongside our vegetable curries."
Keir refuses to talk about sex-life
Sir Keir Starmer refused to reveal how many women he had slept with - not following Nick Clegg into revealing his sexual encounters.
The Labour leader batted away a question about any past conquests as he was quizzed on the Never Mind The Ballots show.
But the steadfast Labour chief said: "I'm not going to answer that one".
The party leader also refused to follow in the footsteps of Theresa May in revealing the naughtiest thing he had done.
Keir struggles to define a "woman"
Asked again about his position on trans women and whether they can be defined as women, Sir Keir said the whole issue has to be "treated with respect".
He went on: "As you well know the overwhelming majority of women, it's a biological issue.
"There's a small number of people in this country who are born into a gender they don't identify with and they often go through pretty hellish abuse."
Sir Keir Starmer appears on the first episode of Never Mind the Ballots , hoisted by Sun Political Editor Harry Cole.. U-turn on gender views
The Labour boss has been trying to clarify his views on gender since 2021 when he struggled to say whether or not a woman could have a penis.
This year, Starmer said that 99.9 per cent of women "haven't got a penis" and also rowed back on plans to introduce a self-ID system for transgender people.
But asked if he still believes “women can have testicles”, he said only a very small number were affected.
Pressed on his U-turn on gender reform, he added: "In the real world outside of politics when circumstances change, people adapt their position."
Starmer was PAID to defend Hizb ut-Tahrir
Sir Keir has defended advocating on behalf of terrorists - including Jihadi group Hizb ut-Tahir who were proscribed as a terrorist organisation this year.
He insisted the job of a lawyer is to work for whoever your client is - even when they're the bad guy.
But he admitted he was paid to help the group in the European courts.
He added: "I was a lawyer before and particularly if you're doing criminal law, you represent people you don't agree with. You know how it works in our legal system, it is very important that everybody is represented."
Triple Lock left "unprotected"
In news that will rile pensioners, Starmer repeatedly refused to be drawn on the triple lock that sees pensions rise by inflation or wage rate every year.
The wannabe PM would not commit to protecting the triple lock for 12 million pensioners - warning there were tough decisions ahead.
Starmer also warned taxes would go up under Labour - but vowed to protect Britain's hardest workers who are already "overburdened".
Starmer says he can "fix the country"
The Labour Leader revealed he had big plans to "fix the country" in the coming decade.
He said: "And my job is to fix the country up, fix the immediate problems and take our country forward.
"So we can genuinely say after five or 10 years this country is now better than it was in 2024 when we were elected into office, if we are elected into office."
"Ready" for election
When the Sun's Harry Cole quizzed Starmer on how Brits can trust him after his support for Jeremy Corbyn in 2019, he said: "I didn't think we'd win the 2019 election, I didn't think we were ready.
"Now we're at the stage we are in 2024 when I can see what it means to be ready for an election or ready for government.
"I see it more clearly how we weren't ready in 2019."
Can he be trusted?
Quizzed why he had torn up so many of his promises in the past, Sir Keir insisted he is being honest with voters now.
But he warned: “I've got a choice to make with the electorate, which is do I be up front before the election about what we actually can afford and what we can't or do I pretend we can deliver something which I know we actually can't."
Confronted with polling data that showed many Brits saw him as untrustworthy, he insisted: "I'm in the camp of saying look, what I don't want to have is a situation where, after the election, we are breaking our promises."
"We could get a better deal"
On tonight's show, Sir Keir Starmer said "no" to free movement, "no" to the customs union and "no" to the single market.
But he STILL insisted he could get a better deal, adding: "I think we have to cast our minds back, the country was completely divided.
"I still think we could get a better deal, I think we should be able to trade more freely with Europe... but I have completely accepted the result."
The Labour Leader revealed he had big plans to "fix the country" in the coming decade.
"We can't go back" over Brexit, says Starmer
Asked whether he wished we were still in the EU, the Labour leader declined to answer - pointing to the fact he voted remain.
In the show - which you can watch live now on and - Starmer said: "I voted for remain. I wanted us to remain.
"The country voted out and that's why after the last election in 2019, I voted for the Brexit deal and we are now out. We are not going back in."
Sir Keir spent the entire 2017 parliament trying to reverse Brexit.
Starmer REFUSES to deny taking drugs
Sir Keir Starmer refused to deny taking drugs seven times on Never Mind the Ballots.
On the premier episode of the new Sun Politics show, the Labour chief was asked if he's taken illegal substances while a jobbing lawyer.
Sir Keir responded: "I had a good time when I was a student."
Pressed on what exactly that means the opposition leader replied: "It means I had a good time when I was a student."
And we're off!
The Sun's brand-new politics show Never Mind the Ballots is up and running!
Sir Keir Starmer will be grilled on a number of topics by The Sun's Political Editor Harry Cole and readers.
The show will look at what readers really want from the next Government and who, if anyone, can win their vote.
Watch Starmer take on the issues that matter right now on and .
5 minutes to go...
There are just 5 minutes to go until the launch of The Sun’s brand-new politics show - Never Mind The Ballots.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is being grilled by Political Editor Harry Cole on tonight's episode.
You can watch the politician take on hot topics in a matter of moments on our website and YouTube channel.
Keir calls for kit prices to be slashed
The shirts are retailing at £124.99 for adults and a whopping £119.99 for children.
Starmer revealed in a teaser clip that prices should be slashed for footie-mad fans.
The Labour leader said: "I'm not even sure they can properly explain what they needed to change in the first place. They could also reduce the price of the shirts."
Not long to go now...
Just fifteen minutes to go until the launch of Never Mind The Ballots, The Sun's brand-new politics show.
Tonight's episode will see Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer face questions sent in by you, the readers.
You can watch Sir Keir Starmer take on the issues that matter at 8pm on and The Sun’s YouTube channel.
The beautiful game
Sir Keir also spoke about his love for football, the Three Lions and the Lionesses.
In an exclusive teaser clip he revealed: "I'm a big football fan, I go to England games, men, women's games."
The latest strip change led to some labelling the shirt "woke" as they called on the manufacturer to revert back to the usual colours.
Starmer slams new England kit
The Labour leader blasted the FA and Nike for changing the “unifying” St George’s flag on footy shirts.
Starmer laid into the decision to ditch the traditional red and white cross in a teaser clip for Never Mind the Ballots.
He said: "The flag is used by everybody, it's unifying, it doesn't need to change.
"We just need to be proud of it. So I think they should just reconsider this and change it back."
When will Britain head to the polls?
No official date has been given for the upcoming General Election.
However, this week saw The Chancellor drop a massive hint Britain could be heading to the polls in October.
This came as Jeremy Hunt was grilled about the Budget and the Government's spending plans pencilled in for the next Parliament.
What time is tonight's show?
You can watch Sir Keir Starmer take on the issues that matter at 8pm on and The Sun’s YouTube channel.
In a massive year for the country, Never Mind the Ballots – airing every thursday at 8pm – will home the biggest political interviews.
Sun editor Harry Cole will take on the biggest faces in Politics today – alongside Sun readers and our brilliant Cabinet.Our panel of voters have real-life experience of working in law and order, defence, schools, the NHS and running their own businesses, from a plumbing firm to driving a black cab.
What to expect from Never Mind The Ballots
The show, hosted by The Sun's Political Editor, Harry Cole, will look at what readers really want from the next Government and who, if anyone, can win their vote.
The programme will also feature The Sun’s award-winning Lobby team for their analysis and insight.
This includes the Sun on Sunday’s Political Editor Kate Ferguson, who will be reading the temperature in Westminster with a weekly look at the Political Weather.
Ahead of the launch, Harry Cole said: “It is time for Britain to decide — and it is time for politics in plain English."
