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Britain needs a radical redistribution of wealth and opportunity and an end to the “monopoly of power” in Westminster, Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Ahead of a speech, the Labour leadership candidate argued that goal could be reached with a system “built on the principle of federalism”.
Returning to campaigning after a week’s break, he also promised to address the “underlying causes” of Brexit.
So far, Sir Keir and Lisa Nandy have places on the final members’ ballot.
Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry are vying to secure enough nominations to reach the last stage of the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir – the shadow Brexit secretary – is setting out his vision for a “new political consensus”.
At a speech in East London later, he will argue for the need to “empower people to have a real say in their workplace, in the communities they’re part of and over the public services they use”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this would “address underlying causes and reasons” behind the Brexit vote, arguing one of the main drivers was people wanting “power and influence and decision making closer to them in their town, in their city, in their region, and across the United Kingdom”.
Sir Keir – who was a prominent advocate for Remain – added: “What I am doing is what the government ought to be doing, which is making the case for the future of the Untied Kingdom with a different political consensus, where we devolve that power and opportunity and wealth away from Whitehall and Westminster.”
He also warned not addressing these issues would mean “we are at risk of watching the break-up of the United Kingdom” and “we leave a vacuum” for nationalism to take hold.
But Sir Keir said it was not about whether he supported Brexit or not, adding that when the UK leaves the bloc on Friday, “that debate is over”.
The Holborn and St Pancras MP suspended his campaign last week after his mother-in-law was involved in a serious accident last week.
This week he will travel to constituencies in England, Wales and Scotland to hear people’s views.
He will also unveil his ideas for how Labour can reflect the experience and skills of all parts of the party.
The new Labour leader and deputy leader will be announced on 4 April.
On Friday, the Unite trade union confirmed it would endorse Mrs Long-Bailey for leader.
Unite’s general secretary Len McCluskey said the Salford and Eccles MP had “the brains and the brilliance” to take on Boris Johnson.
To make the ballot, hopefuls need the support of three unions and affiliate groups representing 5% of the membership, or 33 local branches.
Sir Keir and Ms Nandy, the MP for Wigan, have already secured this level of support ahead of the 14 February deadline.
Having already been nominated by bakers’ union BFAWU, Unite’s support for Mrs Long-Bailey means she needs just one more union or affiliate to join them.
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