Now it’s ‘Call me Keir’ Starmer as new PM strikes chummy tone at No10 press conference – but hints at tax raids and softer prisons after chairing first Cabinet, with Rwanda plan axed, Brexit talks, and railways nationalised ‘ASAP’ [Video]

08:29 EDT 06 Jul 2024, updated 12:13 EDT 06 Jul 2024

Keir Starmer warned of ‘tough decisions’ looming and tried to stop people calling him ‘PM’ today as he kicked off his Red revolution.

At his first press conference in Downing Street, the Labour leader said questioners could call him ‘Keir’ as he acknowledged that his government will be ‘judged on actions not on words’.

He said the government will need to make ‘tough decisions and take them early’ – saying that there would be ‘raw honesty’ about what needs to be done, although he denied that meant tax hikes. 

Instead he stressed that crime could be a crucial area, after it emerged his new prisons minister has suggested two-thirds of people in jail should not be there. Sir Keir said there were ‘too many prisoners, not enough prisons’.

Sir Keir also confirmed that the Rwanda policy pursued by Rishi Sunakwas ‘dead and buried’, despite claims it was having an …