Starmer says "growth must become Labour’s obsession" for faster GDP

Before the 2024 general election, Keir Starmer linked Labour’s progressive agenda to faster GDP growth, reflecting the fiscal limits any new government would face. The remarks sit within a broader debate over British politicians’ focus on growth, which Andy Burnham’s government has also echoed. Economists Karel Williams and Sukhdev Johal argue that restoring earlier growth rates may be unrealistic and that higher growth would not necessarily fix affordability problems in places such as Oldham and Wigan. They say redistributive fiscal policy and investment in local transport, utilities, care and other foundational infrastructure could improve lives without waiting for growth, making the debate important to whether social democratic goals must depend on GDP increases.