Labour leader Keir Starmer emphasizes 'Country first, party second' in major speech

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said sorry for not having enough money to do all the things he promised at the start of his campaign. He calls himself a socialist who cares more about the country than his party. He believes there are big differences in how people are treated in terms of money, health, and power. He spoke about changing the Labour Party to be different from the previous leader, Mr. Corbyn. Sir Keir wants to show that Labour has changed for the better. He talked about a plan to provide a national service, which he compared to a young people's group like Dad's Army. He wants to pay for this by taking money from other places like tax avoidance and funds for improving the country. Sir Keir also mentioned his respect for parents who work hard to send their kids to private schools, even though he plans to tax these schools to support public education. He explained that taxing private schools is a tough decision but necessary to help state schools. Sir Keir said he won't raise the main VAT rate and that Labour's plans won't need higher taxes. He dismissed claims that he lacks energy or enthusiasm, saying he and his team are working hard with a positive attitude for the upcoming election. He emphasized that he wants to lead a government that puts the country and its people first. Sir Keir believes that the current government has lost touch with the values and needs of ordinary people.