Opposition vows to prevent UK economy trailing Poland

Britain's opposition leader Keir Starmer pointed to data Monday suggesting the country's output per person would lag that of Poland by the next decade as he set out Labour's economic program.

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Ahead of a general election expected next year that his Labour party is favoured to win, Starmer argued his policies would boost the recession-threatened economy unlike those of current Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

British economic output per person is set to be overtaken by EU member Poland by the start of the next decade and by both Hungary and Romania by 2040, according to Labour's analysis of World Bank data.

Britain is a member of the Group of Seven (G7) wealthiest nations.

"We need to be frank about the path of decline the Tories have set our country on," Starmer said in a speech in London's City finance district.

"The British people are falling behind while our European neighbours get richer in the East as well as in countries like France and Germany," he said.

"I'm not comfortable with that. Not comfortable with a trajectory that will soon see Britain overtaken by Poland. Nor am I prepared to accept what the consequences of this failure would mean."

Opinion polls indicate Labour is set to beat the Conservatives at the next election, as a cost-of-living crisis sparked by soaring inflation leads to mass strikes.

Starmer argued his policies would seek to tackle low pay and pursue green investment while targeting the highest sustainable growth in the G7.

He also called for a reset with the European Union following Britain's exit from the bloc at the start of 2021.

The remarks came before Sunak and the EU agreed later Monday on a crucial overhaul of trade rules in Northern Ireland.

Starmer declared that "a reset relationship with the EU" was needed "with the whole of the country, not just Northern Ireland".

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Opposition vows to prevent UK economy trailing Poland

Uwajeneza Donatha Feb 27, 2023 - 17:38