Starmer launches Labour local election campaign and defends ‘difficult decisions’ over dropped pledges– as it happened

Opposition leader says some commitments were made before ‘the Tories did enormous damage to the economy’Starmer is summing up the Labour offer.This Labour party with Rachel Reeves as chancellor will value every pound as if it’s yours – because at the end of the day, it is.One, higher growth, with a reform planning system, no longer blocking the homes, the infrastructure, the investment that the country needs.Two, safer streets, with 13,000 Extra neighbourhood police offic