Starmer on the Durham investigation: “Honesty and integrity matter”

Below is the full text of the speech delivered by Keir Starmer following the conclusion of the investigation by Durham Constabulary this afternoon.

I’ve always said that no rules were broken when I was in Durham. The police have now completed their investigation and found that there is no case to answer. People said to me I was taking a risk by saying I would step down if I was fined. But it was never about that. For me, it was a matter of principle.

It shouldn’t be controversial to say that those who make the law can’t break the law. But we have to set the bar far higher than that. Our country is stuck in a dangerous rut. Everywhere you look things are broken. And nothing gets fixed. People say to me when they look at those running the country, they see a group of people totally detached from reality, whose words mean nothing, and who put their own interest first.

Who could blame them for concluding that politics doesn’t matter and doesn’t work? This is not just about Boris Johnson. This feeling that politics has failed hasn’t emerged in the last few months. It’s been bubbling away for years. And people have completely lost faith that this can be changed. That politics can be a force for good. The reason I made the promise that I did was to change their mind.

Because when politics is done well, when people can have faith that politicians’ words mean something. When the power of government sits in the hands of those determined to serve the country. Like when Labour created the NHS, when we introduced the Equal Pay Act, and when we brought people together to deliver peace in Northern Ireland – politics can change lives.

And that is what I will do as Prime Minister. It is vital that we reboot our economy, re-energise our communities, revitalise our public services, and give Britain the fresh start it needs. In the coming days, I’ll set out more about how a reforming Labour government will achieve just that. It’s no small project. And I know I have to convince you to put your trust in me, and believe that together we can build a better country.

I won’t get everything right. I’m certainly not perfect, and I will make mistakes along the way. But what you will always get from me is someone who believes honesty and integrity matter. Someone who will work every day for the good of the country. And someone who will not betray the faith that you place in me. Thank you.