Sir Keir Starmer has praised action taken by new Labour councils across the country, including in Brighton and Hove.

The Labour leader and the senior shadow cabinet met 22 new Labour council leaders earlier this year after May’s local election result saw the party take control of several authorities across England.

The council leaders pledged to deliver cost-of-living plans within 100 days of taking control and draw on work being carried out by Labour-led councils in other parts of the country.

Now, 100 days on, Sir Keir has praised Brighton and Hove City Council’s Labour administration for action they have taken to “ease the squeeze” on people’s finances.

Among the policies implemented by the new council in the city include cancelling a 300 per cent increase in parking charges, planned by the previous Green administration, as well as purchasing 30 new homes to be socially rented to local families.

Sir Keir said: “Right across the country, people are desperate for change. With swift and much-needed action, our Labour councils are proving that where Labour is in power, we deliver.

“Our emergency cost of living action plans and local housing plans are easing people’s pockets, relieving the burden that this government has placed on families across the UK.

“This is only the start. Labour councils across the country will continue to pull every lever available to make change happen and build a better Britain.”

Sir Keir’s comments come after his recent visit to Worthing, where he spoke to residents, business owners and students about the cost of living crisis.

He criticised the Conservative government for pushing small businesses and families into a “doom loop” and pledged that a Labour government would take action to get the economy moving again and deal with the cost of living crisis.

He said: “It means a long-term, mission-driven government that understands what people are going through, holds those people in its eyes as it makes decisions and absolutely fixes the fundamentals.”