Starmer attacks greens as new worker rights take effect
Keir Starmer has launched a pointed critique of the Green party, framing their policies as a threat to newly implemented worker protections. The salvo came as a raft of measures, including the lifting of the two-child benefit cap and increases to state pensions and universal credit, officially came into force on Monday, a moment Starmer’s Labour government is eager to portray as a watershed moment for working families.
The credibility gamble
Starmer's argument hinges on a central assertion: Labour alone possesses both the economic credibility and the political will to deliver meaningful improvements for workers. In an article for The Guardian, he dismissed opponents – including business figures and, crucially, rival parties – as harboring “vested interests” hindering progress. He explicitly targeted the Greens and Reform UK, suggesting a vote for either party risks undoing the gains secured through the Employment Rights Act 2025.
The timing of this attack is telling. With local elections looming in May, and Labour facing potential losses in traditionally safe council seats, Starmer appears to be recalibrating his strategy, focusing increasingly on the rising influence of the Greens, who recently secured a victory in Gorton and Denton. Recent polling paints a complex picture: YouGov places the Greens in joint second position, alongside Reform UK, while Lord Ashcroft’s survey suggests a three-way split, with all three parties hovering around 21%, leaving Labour on 17%.
The new Employment Rights Act grants statutory sick pay from day one of illness and extends paternity and unpaid parental leave to the first day of employment – measures Starmer lauded as some of his government’s proudest achievements. He drew parallels to the introduction of the minimum wage under Tony Blair, positioning these changes as a continuation of Labour’s commitment to social justice. But the path hasn’t been without turbulence. Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, a traditionally staunch Labour backer, has criticized the Act as a “shell of its former self,” a sentiment reflected in the union's recent reduction of membership fees to the party.
A benefit cap lift and tory retort
Beyond the Employment Rights Act, the removal of the two-child benefit cap – a key demand from child poverty campaigners – is being presented as a significant victory. However, the Conservatives swiftly countered, arguing that the policy will funnel billions of pounds to workless households, with one family of two unemployed parents and three children potentially receiving a £6,400 income boost annually. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative party leader, accused Starmer of appeasing his left-wing backbenchers with a “handout” at a time when working families are struggling with rising costs.
The Labour leadership’s shift towards a more assertive stance, particularly on worker rights, appears to be influenced by internal pressure from potential leadership contenders like Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham, demonstrating a delicate balancing act as the party navigates a complex political landscape. While Starmer insists that previous opposition to these policies has been consistently proven wrong, the battle for the working class vote is far from settled – and the Greens, emboldened by recent gains, are poised to play a pivotal role.
The reality is stark: Labour’s success in May hinges not only on weathering the Reform storm on the right, but also on neutralizing the growing appeal of a Green party offering an increasingly attractive alternative to the status quo. The coming weeks will reveal whether Starmer’s strategy of highlighting economic credibility can effectively counter that narrative, or if Labour’s traditional dominance is facing a more fundamental challenge.