Government machinery is like turning an oil tanker… but we will get there and bring about change for working people.

MISSION-led government means a ruthless focus on the priorities of working people.

It means driving to bring them to completion, despite obstacles and doubters. This means instilling purpose and ambition to restore trust in politics again.

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This is what Sun on Sunday readers voted for in July and this is what I propose.

This government was elected to turn the page on chaos, austerity and decline, choosing instead a path of stability, investment and reform.

We have already seen the benefits of a Budget that has freed up tens of billions of investment in our NHS, prevented damaging austerity policies in our public services and protected working people’s payrolls.

And we moved on. We’ve raised the National Living Wage by giving an extra £1,400 to millions of hardworking people.

Safer streets

We have attracted £63 billion of investment into Britain.

We have created a border security team to take down human smuggling gangs.

We are reforming the skills system so businesses can hire the highly skilled workers they need.

We are surrendering, but there is still much to be done.

We are improving the lives of working people through a decade of national renewal.

But Sun on Sunday readers want to know how we will provide for them by the end of Parliament.

That’s why next week I outline our Plan for Change, which will become next stage of action within government.

This is the most ambitious but honest implementation plan in a generation.

This means doing things differently and setting new, measurable milestones so the public can track our progress.

Because when I said this is a government in service of working people, that’s what I meant.

Delivery will be difficult. We have serious problems that we cannot solve overnight.

Sir Keir Starmer

The mission is our mandate – growing the economy to put more money in the pockets of working people and rebuilding a UK, NHS fit for futuresafer streets, safe power through clean energy and opportunity for all.

Milestones will track our progress.

They will also ensure that government’s attention and resources remain relentlessly focused on delivering real and meaningful change.

But we can only achieve this with genuine reform.

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We have already begun this work with radical measures in our NHS.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has already made it clear that failed NHS bosses will have to forgo their salaries if they failure deliver.

Because we know that every penny the taxpayer money need to spend wisely.

But we didn’t stop there.

We reformed planning laws to build new Housespension funds to drive economic growth, an industrial strategy to drive innovation and children’s social care to support our young people.

I know that making change will not be easy. We were left with a difficult legacy of collapsing public services and crippled public finances to contend with.

In 1997, the new government inherited a public sphere on its knees.

In 2010, the new government inherited public finances in desperate need of repair.

We inherited both, leaving us with a £22 billion black hole in the government budget.

These are serious problems that cannot be solved overnight. I don’t hide it, and there’s no point in pretending otherwise.

Obstacles and blockers

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Meaningful change isn’t easy to make, which is why I’m taking a new approach.

Gone are the days of plaster politics and Tory politicians who made promises to the world but failed to deliver.

The British are not stupid. They know that a ruthless focus on priorities is essential.

Yes, there will be obstacles and blockers, maybe even protests. And yes, it will take time.

Focusing the state apparatus can be like turning an oil tanker.

Is it any wonder – after years of broken Tory promises, costly subterfuge and outside abuse – that not only has the public lost confidence in the government’s ability to deliver, but that acceptance of managed decline has seeped even into some parts of Whitehall?

This Labor government was elected to bring about change for working people.

With this ambitious but honest plan, coupled with relentless focus, we will do just that.