Labour will make UK best G7 economy, Keir Starmer pledges

Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to make the UK the highest-growth economy in the G7 if Labour wins power.

The goal is one of five "missions" the Labour leader will put at the centre of his party's offer to voters at the next election.

The others, to be unveiled at a speech on Thursday, include making Britain a "clean energy superpower" and cutting health inequalities.

It comes after Rishi Sunak set out five pledges of his own last month.

Labour says the missions set out by Sir Keir will shape its next election manifesto, and guide the party if it forms the next government.

In his address, to be delivered in Manchester, he will say that "new thinking" will be required to tackle the "root causes" of the UK's problems.

Labour has specified "measurable outcomes" for its missions to boost the economy and make Britain a "superpower" for green energy.

These are securing the "highest sustained growth" in the G7 group of rich nations, made up of the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.

The target for clean energy includes the party's already-announced goal of generating all of Britain's electricity without fossil fuels by 2030.

The party says targets for the other three missions - improving the NHS, reforming the justice system, and raising education standards - will be set out in the coming months.

Sir Keir will say the goals will help Labour deliver "mission-driven government" that is better able to tackle long-term issues.

In a continuation of his bid to broaden the party's appeal to voters, he will say his approach to the economy would be neither "state control" nor "pure free markets".

The new missions are the latest attempt by a party leader to encapsulate their goals in the mind of voters ahead of the next general election, which is expected next year.

It also echoes the five-point pledge card first issued by New Labour ahead of the 1997 election, to set out its stall on battleground issues. Ed Miliband also set out five pledges ahead of the 2015 election.

At his new year speech last month, Mr Sunak set out his own five goals for his premiership, which also included growing the economy.

He also promised to halve inflation this year, ensure the UK's debt is falling, cut NHS waiting lists, and pass new laws to stop small boat crossings.