Sir Keir Starmer has called out what he describes as “desperate” Tory attacks on several British institutions
Earlier this week, culture Lucy Frazer accused the BBC of being biased on live radio, and Tory MPs have also accused the RNLI and the National Trust, Britain’s largest charity, of pursuing politically correct policies.
The Labour leader condemned these comments as “a kind of weird McCarthyism, trying to find woke agendas in the very civic institutions they once regarded with respect”.
Starmer went on to attack Rishi Sunak’s party for “waging war” on organisations such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the National Trust and the Trussell Trust, saying that Tory’s “rhetoric has helped demonise them”.
The opposition leader was speaking Civil Society Summit in central London, where he addressed various charities and not-for-profit groups.
Starmer promised to end years of divisive culture wars should he win the next general election, and told the Civil Society Summit that charities will be essential to his vision for the country: “We will work with you on our mission for a decade of national renewal.”
Although Conservatives are traditionally protective of British institutions, such as the RNLI and National Trust, some Tory MPs have recently broken rank to criticise their work.
In 2020 a group of backbenchers objected to the National Trust linking the family home of Winston Churchill to slavery and colonialism.
Last year, Lee Anderson, who was then a deputy chair of the Conservative Party, criticised the charity for listing policies it wanted the government to commit to. He told GB News “Brits expect the National Trust to protect our heritage, not lecture them on net zero.”
Another Conservative MP – Jacob Rees-Mogg – backed a group seeking to change the National Trust, saying in a social media post: “The National Trust should remain true to its founding principles and stay clear of identity politics, which has already alienated tens of thousands of members.”
The RNLI, which rescues people at sea, has also received attention for its role in helping migrants at risk of drowning in the Channel when trying to get to the UK in small boats.
Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said the group was being used as a “taxi service for illegal trafficking groups”.
Sir Keir said: “The Tories seem set on sabotaging civil society to save their own skins.”
“Instead of working with the National Trust so more people can learn about – and celebrate – our culture and our history, they’ve managed to demean their work,” he added.
Responding to Starmer’s criticism, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused him of “creating a distraction”.
The prime minister said he hadn’t seen the Labour leader’s speech but added that “it does sound to me like a distraction from the fact that Keir Starmer, who has been the leader of the opposition for four years, can’t actually say what he would do differently to run this country”.
The Prime Minister was dealt a blow to his Rwanda deportation plan last night after The House of Lords voted to delay ratification of the treaty with Kigali.
A majority of peers – 214 against 171 – voted to delay ratification of the treaty that London signed with Kigali until the British government had demonstrated that Rwanda was a safe country for migrants who would be deported there.
Sunak has staked his political future on the scheme, promising to “stop the boats” of migrants crossing the Channel from northern France.
If passed, the legislation would compel judges to treat Rwanda as a safe third country.
It would also give UK ministers powers to disregard sections of international and British human rights legislation.
