Dashboard/Keir Starmer/ITV News interview with Robert Peston at Labour conference: living standards, Reform, growth and the taxes in the budget, his unpopularity and Andy Burnham
Interview · 30 Sep 2025
ITV News interview with Robert Peston at Labour conference: living standards, Reform, growth and the taxes in the budget, his unpopularity and Andy Burnham
Video: YouTube: ITV News (official channel). Retrieved 9 Oct 2026.
No BS Index for this transcript
Only 9 rated questions; a transcript needs 15 for a number. Claims that held up: 83% of 15 checked (Bluff 8.3 of 50). Its claims still count towards the overall score.
Answers questions · observed, not scored
50%
9 questions rated. Fewer than 15, so this does not enter the index. Answered = 1, Partly answered and Declined openly = ½, Dodged = 0.
Answered 2Partly answered 5Declined openly 0Dodged 2
Robert Peston
Prime Minister, you reject the politics of grievance, but people feel a grieve for a reason. In particular, their living standards, as you pointed out, haven't risen for something like 18 years. And there was very little in your speech that I saw that's actually going to make people feel better off.
Partly answeredTold living standards have not risen and there was little in his speech to make people better off. Accepts people are frustrated and blames the previous government, but names nothing that will make them better off.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
But talking about one thing, delivering it is what they want.
Partly answeredTold that delivering change is what people want. Says change will take longer than 12 months and he will be judged on it at the next election, then turns to the fight with Reform.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
But I I've got to pick you up on one aspect of this. As you know, Nigel Farage loves attention. He loves publicity. And in describing his policy as racist, aren't you just giving him the platform that he craves?
AnsweredAsked whether calling Reform's policy racist gives Nigel Farage the platform he craves. Says no: ignoring the fight would be a mistake, and gives his reasons.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
H how can a policy their policy on indefinite leave to remain be racist and the party not be racist and the supporters not be racist? I we did some polling for the Peston show. British people think all three are racist.
Partly answeredAsked how the policy can be racist and the party and its supporters not. Says he is not calling Reform voters racist and explains why the policy differs, without saying whether the party is racist.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
Now you said repeatedly got to get growth up. Uh and I know the big reason why taxes are going to have to go up in the budget is because the OBR is more pessimistic on growth on productivity. Not your fault. you'll say the last lot's fault, but whenever you take 20 30 billion out of an economy in taxes, growth suffers. Doesn't matter how you do it.
So, is it going to be even harder to address that grievance?
DodgedAsked whether the tax rises expected in the Budget will hold back growth and make the grievance harder to address. Cites growth in the first half of the year, without addressing the effect of tax rises.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
Still way too low for people's living standards to go up. We're talking about minute differences with other economies that are growing too slowly.
Partly answeredTold growth is still too low to raise living standards. Accepts there is much more to do, but mainly repeats growth, interest rate and investment figures.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
Now I hate to bring be the bearer of uh bad news but you probably saw you've been told about the Ipsos poll which shows you're the least popular prime minister in history. It's a grueling job. Do you ever in have dark moments where you just think right I won the election. Time to hand on to somebody else.
Partly answeredTold an Ipsos poll shows him as the least popular Prime Minister on record and asked whether he has dark moments about handing over. Points to his landslide win, which implies he will not hand over, without addressing the poll or the dark moments.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
Talk about your personal ju just hear how committed are you?
AnsweredAsked how committed he is. Says he has a five-year mandate to change the country and will be judged at the end of it.Our model rated this
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Robert Peston
Very last question. I've been told I'm out of time. You're picking a metaphorical fiverside team. You are the hard man in the middle of the field. You going to pick Andy Bernham as striker?
DodgedAsked, in a football metaphor, whether he would pick Andy Burnham for his team. Says Burnham is an excellent mayor and they work well together, without saying whether he would give him a role.Our model rated this
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