100%.
Here is what they promised the electorate. Six first steps:
- Deliver economic stability with “tough spending rules” (keeping taxes, inflation, mortgages as low as possible).
- Cut NHS waiting times – specifically 40,000 more appointments each week during evenings/weekends, funded by cracking down on non-dom tax status/loopholes.
- Launch a new Border Security Command (hundreds of specialist investigators, counter-terror powers) to smash criminal boat gangs.
- Set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean-power company, to cut bills and boost energy security (paid for by windfall tax on oil/gas).
- Crack down on antisocial behaviour: more neighbourhood police, new youth hubs, tougher penalties, end wasteful contracts.
- Recruit 6,500 new teachers in key subjects, paid for by ending tax breaks for private schools.
Here is the current state of play 15 months in:
The UK is borrowing more than a year ago, largely because of rising debt interest, inflation-driven spending pressures and spending rises on pensions and benefits, while tax receipts lag those pressures. Tax rises in the forthcoming Budget are likely necessary and will help reduce borrowing, but they are not sufficient on their own unless accompanied by genuine spending control, improved growth and reduction of cost pressures. Where are the concrete plans to deliver that? We have already seen spending cuts fail to get past the PLP. And remember one of the Labour pledges was not to increase taxes for the working person. 'No ifs, buts or maybe's'.
In health, the pledge to cut NHS waiting times shows some signs of movement. The number of people waiting more than a year for treatment has fallen by around a third since early 2024, suggesting some improvement in tackling the longest delays. However, the overall waiting list still exceeds seven million cases and accident-and-emergency performance remains well below targets. The headline promise of 40,000 extra appointments a week has not yet been delivered, and visible pressure on services persists.
Labour’s proposed Border Security Command appears still to be in the planning stage, with no public figures on staffing or operations. Likewise, Great British Energy—the new publicly owned clean-power company—has not yet materialised beyond preparatory work. Both policies require major institutional setup, so tangible results are unlikely this soon. Border Security must be controlled quickly in the public eyes. That step alone might buy the government some time on the other 'first' steps.
On crime and policing, progress looks weaker. Despite a commitment to more neighbourhood officers and youth hubs, official data show the number of local policing officers has actually fallen since before the election. Reports of antisocial behaviour remain high, and while isolated local successes exist, there is no national evidence of improvement. Education faces similar headwinds. Labour pledged 6,500 new teachers funded by ending private-school tax breaks, but vacancies have reached record highs and recruitment has slowed. Critics note no coherent delivery plan or visible intake increase.
I think we are in a downward spiral which can only be broken by achieving greater productivity and growth and I cannot for the life of me see the scale plans or investment required to make that happen. Tax rises will lag increase in spending particularly when we have a Labour party loath to see any cuts in benefits. Debt interest will continue to rise. Whilst there is evidence that the government is allocating resources towards productive capacity (skills, R&D, infrastructure) the scale, pace and breadth of impact are still modest relative to the long-term challenge of boosting productivity and growth.
If I was Starmer, I would develop quarterly milestones for each of these steps for the next three years and publicly and personally report progress against them every quarter. They are saying mostly the right things but have to win trust through tangible delivery and that is lacking 15 months in.