Keir Starmer, Labour Leader since April 2020 and Prime Minister since July 2024, has long cast himself as a beacon of integrity in British politics, promising accountability after years of Tory turmoil.
Yet, nine months into power, his approval rating languishes at 27% (YouGov, March 2025), with X users branding him a “disaster” and “snake oil salesman,” and a looming by-election in Runcorn and Helsby on May 1, 2025, threatens to expose deep voter disquiet—polls predict a Reform UK upset in a Labour stronghold (Lord Ashcroft, March 2025).
From a landslide victory (412 seats) to plummeting trust, his tenure raises a stark question: has Starmer broken faith with Britain? This article dissects his pledges across 24 key groups, from outright reversals to sluggish delivery, categorising them into four tiers by impact and severity. What emerges is a pattern that challenges the PM’s credibility—and his promise to serve “working people.”
In opposition and power, Starmer’s bold rhetoric has collided with fiscal realities, prompting U-turns, scaled-back commitments, and delays. He blames a £22 billion “black hole” inherited from the Conservatives, yet critics argue his choices—£11.6 billion in overseas climate aid versus domestic cuts—reveal mis-prioritisation. Below, we assess the evidence, tier by tier.
Tier 1: Most Serious Reversals (Explicit, High-Impact Betrayals)
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WASPI Women: In 2022, Starmer vowed to “do something” for 1950s-born women hit by pension age rises. By December 2024, Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall rejected £10.5 billion in compensation, despite an Ombudsman’s £1,000–£2,950 call, leaving 3.8 million women, many in poverty, feeling betrayed. Beergate and Public Trust: In 2021, Starmer allowed Labour to deny Angela Rayner’s presence at a Durham curry-and-beer event during COVID-19 restrictions, despite social media evidence, only admitting her attendance months later in a 2022 U-turn dubbed “astonishing” (Daily Mail).
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The Beergate Saga: Though legally cleared, the scandal saw over 50% of Britons believe Starmer broke rules according to the left-wing newspaper, The Guardian. Setting a precedent for mistrust that haunts his 27% approval rating today.
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Students: Starmer’s 2020 pledge to “abolish tuition fees” faded to a “review” by 2023, then vanished from the 2024 manifesto. Fees rose to £9,535 (October 2024), sparking NUS outrage and campus protests.
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Council Tax Payers: “Not a penny more on your council tax,” Starmer declared in 2022, promising a windfall tax-funded freeze. Instead, a 5% hike (£110 on Band D) hit households in 2025–2026, breaking a costed vow.
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Pensioners and Winter Fuel Recipients: Starmer’s 2020 “never betray pensioners” vow and 2022 “freeze bills” rhetoric crumbled as the £100–£300 winter fuel allowance was cut for 10 million in July 2024, tax thresholds froze to 2028, and bills rose 10% (October 2024), leaving 2 million elderly at risk (Age UK).
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Hillsborough Law Bereaved Families and Survivors: Vowing in 2022 and 2024 to enact a Hillsborough Law by April 15, 2025—imposing a duty of candour on public bodies to prevent cover-ups—Starmer has now confirmed to bereaved families it won’t happen, dashing a nine-year campaign’s hopes for justice by the disaster’s 36th anniversary. Campaigner Charlotte Hennessy, who lost her father James in the 1989 tragedy, decried the delay as a “disrespect” to the 97 victims’ families, who have waited long enough for accountability.
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Veterans: Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledged to “support our veterans,” with Starmer promising in opposition to address Gulf War illness and repeal Johnny Mercer’s Overseas Operations Bill, which limits veterans’ legal claims against the MoD after six years. Nine months into power, neither has been actioned, leaving 33,000 Gulf War illness sufferers without aid and veterans unable to seek justice, fueling accusations of yet another betrayal.
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Prevention of Military Intervention Act: In 2020, Starmer promised a Prevention of Military Intervention Act to stop illegal wars, costing “nothing” while saving millions. By April 2025, no such law exists, a U-turn that the Peace Pledge Union calls a “missed chance to prevent another Iraq.”
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Arms Embargo on Israel: Starmer’s 2020 campaign called for an arms embargo on Israel, yet in 2023 he initially backed Israel’s Gaza siege, and by April 2025, no embargo has been proposed despite 43,000 deaths (UN), prompting Amnesty UK to decry the failure as “complicity in war crimes.”
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Energy Bill Payers: A 2022 “freeze bills this winter” pledge and 2024’s £300 cut via Great British Energy became a £170 rise (January 2025). The £300 figure quietly vanished, leaving households exposed.
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Small Business Owners: Promising no tax hikes on “working people,” Starmer’s October 2024 Budget raised employer NI by 2% (£25 billion hit), risking 50,000 closures (FSB), a “small business betrayal” for owners.
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Migrants and Border Security: Starmer’s 2024 manifesto pledged to “smash the criminal boat gangs” with a new Border Security Command, promising to slash small boat crossings and disrupt smuggling networks. Instead, crossings hit a record 6,600 in Q1 2025—a 30% rise from 2024—leaving the system “broken” (Express) and the public exposed to unchecked risks, as smugglers cram more migrants into deadly dinghies.
Tier 2: Serious U-Turns (Specific Pledges Diluted or Offset)
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Environmental Groups: Starmer’s 2020 £30 billion green jobs vision, refined to £28 billion by 2021, was halved to £14 billion pre-2024 election. Great British Energy launched, but its modest scope disappoints greens pushing for 2030’s 95% clean power goal.
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Farmers: A 2023 NFU vow to shield farmers from trade risks met a 2024 Budget IHT cut, hitting 25% of farms over £1 million. Tractor rallies ensued, with no offsetting rural aid.
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Disabled: Starmer’s 2020 “dignity” promise clashed with March 2025’s £5 billion welfare cuts (PIP, incapacity), pushing 900,000 toward poverty (Disability Rights UK). A £1 billion jobs plan softens the blow, but not the sting.
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Immigrants/Migrant Workers: Free movement faded from 2020’s rhetoric; 2024’s Rwanda scheme axe and Border Command rollout delivered, but rights or citizenship reforms stall.
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Homeowners/Renters: Rent controls, hinted at in 2021, were dropped by 2023. The 1.5 million homes target tracks at 150,000/year, yet first-time buyer schemes remain absent.
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Carers: Hailed as “unsung heroes” in 2020, carers face £500 million in benefit cuts by 2029/30 (March 2025 green paper), impacting 150,000. A 10-year social care plan stays unfulfilled.
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Corporation Tax: Starmer’s 2020 pledge to reverse Tory corporation tax cuts (19% to 25%) flipped when Labour opposed the Tories’ 2022 hike to 25%, a U-turn that left small businesses, already hit by NI rises, facing higher costs.
Tier 3: Moderately Serious (Vague Hopes, Partial Progress)
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Public Sector Workers: 2024 pay rises (e.g., 5% for NHS staff) arrived, yet NHS England’s abolition (March 2025) risks 1,000 admin jobs (UNISON estimate), the two-child benefit cap persists despite 2020 hints at scrapping it (affecting 1.4 million children, DWP 2025), and frozen tax thresholds squeeze pensioner incomes, clouding job security.
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Transportation Users: Rail renationalization advances (e.g., Southeastern by 2025), but 2020’s bus ownership vision stays local, and fares hold steady, frustrating commuters.
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Teachers/Education Staff: Pay rises and private school VAT (January 2025) align with 2024 goals, but the 75% school-readiness target and resource boosts lag, per DfE data.
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Healthcare Workers: Waiting lists fell for five months (NHS, March 2025) and NHS England’s axing saves “hundreds of millions,” yet funding beyond non-dom tax remains hazy, worrying unions.
Tier 4: Least Serious (Long-Term Goals, Minor Lapses)
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Armed Forces: Starmer’s 2020 “honor our forces” pledge saw no funding boost by April 2025, despite a February submarine visit; a March petition for 2.5% GDP defense spending gained 50,000 signatures amid global tensions.
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Tech/Digital Sector: A 2020 “digital revolution” shrank to 2024’s 2,000 apprenticeships goal, with no progress, and a promised National Data Library for research remains unfulfilled, sidelining a niche vision.
Keir Starmer swept to power promising a Britain for “working people,” yet his words—once a lifeline for groups from pensioners to veterans—now ring hollow for many. Whilst fiscal constraints justify some retreats, the pattern of U-turns and delays, especially in Tier 1, paints a Leader quick to pledge and slow to deliver—or worse, willing to renege.
The public deserves better than a Prime Minister whose pledges crumble under scrutiny. With trust eroding nine months in, can “Four-Tier Keir” rebuild credibility by 2029, or will this litany of reversals define his legacy? Have Starmer’s U-turns affected you? Share your story on X with #FourTierKeir.
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Page last updated: Monday 7th April, 2025 at 19h15
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