Starmer hits back at ‘rattled’ accusation over Labour MP suspensions

Starmer responds to being 'rattled' by rebel MPs.Credit: Reuters

Transcript

00:00In 1997, when 47 MPs voted against Tony Blair's welfare plans, not a single one had the whip removed.

00:09He, like you, had a massive majority, but unlike you, he just didn't feel the need to punish MPs.

00:16Why are you so rattled by this? Doesn't it look weak?

00:20Look, we were elected in to change this country for the better,

00:24and that means we've got to carry through that change and we've got to carry through reforms

00:30because we inherited a broken economy and broken public services.

00:34No government has inherited both of those ever before,

00:38and I'm determined that we will change this country for the better for millions of working people.

00:43And I'm not going to be deflected from that.

00:47And therefore, we had to deal with people who repeatedly break the whip

00:51because everyone was elected as a Labour MP on the Manifesto of Change,

00:56and everybody needs to deliver as a Labour government.

00:59This is about what we're doing for the country,

01:02and that's why I'm so determined to press forward with the reforms and the change that we need to bring about.

01:06What do you think about?